Summer 2017 (Volume 27, Number 2)

Update from Dr. Paul Dancey, Newfoundland and Labrador

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I was briefly lost in the woods the other day. I was impressed at how easily it happened after crossing too many junctions on the snowy trail on my fat tire bike. It was to be a short ride after finishing in the rheumatology clinic, so I didn’t plan very well. As the sun was setting, I made a mental list of the things I should have brought along, including a bike light. I was able to retrace my route but it was the encroaching darkness that worried me until I was back at the car–not even late for supper!

That is one of the things I continue to enjoy about working here. I can look out my office window and see the edge of the park where many people enjoy skiing, biking or hiking. You would think that we’d be overflowing with job applications. To be sure the, recruitment for the adult rheumatology positions is looking up. In addition to the steady presence of Drs. Sean Hamilton, Proton Rahman, and Majed Khraishi, we are happy to have Dr. Sam Aseer who has signed up for a permanent position after a one-year locum. There are also hopeful signals of possibly two or three additional rheumatologists to be hired in the future.

Outside of St. John’s there are travelling clinics to Corner Brook, Gander and Labrador City. Those clinics are important with the population spread widely over 405,000 km2, and travel from one coast to another can be very expensive for patients.

This province is a great place to work, explore and occasionally get lost.Come join us!

Dr. Paul Dancey

:The sunset from Pippy Park in St. John's, Newfoundland, as seen last February.