BC’s “top doc” in family medicine honored
Dr Rodney Andrew
Vancouver resident Dr Rodney Andrew is this year’s BC winner of the College of Family Physicians of Canada’s (CFPC) 2016 Family Physicians of the Year award. Dr Andrew is recognized for his influence in advancing family medicine for the benefit of his patients and colleagues in BC.
Dr Andrew received his medical degree from the University of London, in England, in 1962, and his certification in family medicine from the CFPC in 1975. He became a Fellow of the College in 1997.
In the 1960s Dr Andrew began his medical career as a captain in the British Royal Army Medical Corps. He later moved to Canada and began working at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Dr Andrew led the development of an innovative “horizontal” curriculum well before competency-based training was common.
In 1997 Dr Andrew began his tenure as director of the International Medical Graduate (IMG) program, with the University of British Columbia. In this role he championed the IMG residency training program at St. Paul’s Hospital, which ran alongside the Family Practice Residency program.
Each year the CFPC honors 10 family doctors—one from each province—who provide exceptional care to patients, contribute to the well-being of their communities, and are committed to research and the education of future generations of family doctors.
Nominated by their colleagues and respective provincial CFPC chapters, award recipients embody the four principles of family medicine: they are skilled clinicians, they are community-based, they serve as resources for their communities, and they value the patient-doctor relationship.
Since 1996 the awards have been named in honor of Dr Reg L. Perkin, who served as the CFPC’s executive director from 1985 to 1996.