Summer 2024 (Volume 34, Number 2)

Who’s in the Rheum? Dr. Daniel Ennis, host of Around the Rheum

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In this edition of Who’s in the Rheum?, the Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) would like to introduce you to Dr. Daniel Ennis, host of the CRA’s Around the Rheum podcast and a member of the Communications Committee. Dr. Ennis is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. He works as a general rheumatologist and vasculitis clinician at the Mary Pack Arthritis Centre in Vancouver. We’re happy to share our interview with Dr. Ennis below!

What is a typical week in your practice?
My practice is primarily clinical, but I get to bounce between a few different roles. I have an outpatient general rheumatology practice that I share with my colleague and mentor Dr. Kam Shojania. I also run a vasculitis clinic alongside the brilliant Dr. Natasha Dehghan. I also am on-call at St. Paul’s Hospital and Vancouver General Hospital. I really enjoy teaching trainees in each of these roles and love coming to work about 95% of the time.

What is the best thing to do in your community? (professional or recreational)?
Well, that’s a tough one. Vancouver is full of outdoorsy people who head to the mountains on the weekend. So, I think the standard answer is hiking. However, my favourite thing to do in my community is bouldering or rock climbing. I got into it when I moved here for residency, but I’ve only been going consistently for a few years, and it is a lot of fun. It is a bit hard on the hands and feet. We will have to see if it gives me early onset osteoarthritis.

What’s the last great TV show or movie you watched?
So glad you asked. I do love a good TV show. I’ve just finished the first season of “3 Body Problem” and “Fallout,” which were both excellent. However, I’ve become obsessed with a show called “Taskmaster.” It is a British panel comedy show where each of the guests is filmed doing mostly pointless tasks and they are judged on their performances. Now that I write it down, it does not sound particularly exciting. But it is incredible. Start with season 1. I guarantee you will like it. You’re welcome.

What’s it like being the host of the Around the Rheum podcast?
I was initially quite worried about hosting this podcast. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of public speaking. After getting over my initial jitters, it has been an absolute pleasure. I get to work with an outstanding production team including Dr. Dax Rumsey, Erin Stewart, and David McGuffin. They are incredibly supportive and patient with me. They make me sound quite a bit more competent as an interviewer than I actually am! I also have the privilege of interviewing (or co-hosting with) Dr. Janet Pope, who is a brilliant clinician and researcher. She is so delightful to spend time with. Being the host for Around the Rheum is an honour, but I still have “imposter syndrome” every time we turn the mic on to record. Hopefully, that will fade away after another 40 episodes or so.

What would you like to tell colleagues about Around the Rheum?
I think Around the Rheum is worth a listen. We have interviewed national and world leaders on a breadth of topics, and I have certainly learned a great deal from that process. Some of our guests are inspirational, some are brilliant scientists, some are clever problem-solvers, and all of them are caring people who are strong advocates for our patients. I think you will finish each episode feeling proud to be a part of such an incredible community.