Author profile

All in 40 years’ work: Differences of opinion

We owe almost all of our knowledge not to those who have agreed but to those that have differed.      —Charles Colton, 1825 Following a substantive review by the Doctors of BC’s Governance Committee,... Read More

Preparing for an in-flight medical emergency

“If there is a medical doctor onboard, would they please make themselves known to the flight attendant?” Many of us have heard this announcement and may have been tempted to sink into our seat, hoping to see a... Read More

Reflecting on the past year, a screening tip, and passing on the baton

“A leader is someone who steps back from the entire system and tries to build a more collaborative, more innovative system that will work over the long term.”  —Robert Reich It has truly been a privilege and... Read More

Trouble in paradise: More litigation and the challenges of tribalism

Each time we conduct a membership survey, the BCMA receives very favorable res­ponses from a large majority of members. Our strength is directly proportional to our degree of unity. To achieve this, we need methods... Read More

Noise-induced hearing loss: A preventable condition

Although hearing loss can occur when exposed to loud noise over a period of time, it is generally considered that listening to noise at 85 to 90 decibels (dB) for 8 hours could hurt your hearing. For context, a... Read More

Improving the BCMA election process with e-voting

Early in February, your Board of Directors debated proposals to implement electronic voting (sometimes referred to as e-voting) and to consider the formation of an election oversight committee. After a vigorous debate... Read More

The BC Project: What’s that?

We all know that BC is the abbreviation for our wonderful province, but it can also stand for “brain care”—and that’s the context here. Here’s why we should embrace a Brain Care Project that is customized for our... Read More

Dr Andrew Erroll Gillespie

1925–2010 After almost 86 fully lived, wonderful years, Andrew passed away peacefully in Victoria on 9 November 2010, with the loving support of his family and friends, near and far.  Andrew, a remarkably... Read More

Setting the stage for the next several years

The Board of Directors recently held a very successful strategic planning workshop in which we discussed five themes: prevention services, improved access to care, im­proved IT solutions, quality enhancement for... Read More

Determining fitness to drive: A troublesome task

As long ago as 1999, the Sup­reme Court of Canada decided in the case of Terry Grismer to instruct all motor vehicle licensing authorities to make fitness-to-drive decisions on the basis of functional capacity, not... Read More