The Canadian Association of In­ternes and Residents (CAIR) has named Dr Steve Beerman as the recipient of the 2011 Dr Derek Puddester Resident Well-Being Award.

Dr Beerman has been practising family medicine in Nanaimo since 1987, and has been the Nanaimo site director for the UBC Faculty of Med­i­cine, Postgraduate Family Medicine Residency Program since 2006. He is chair of the University of Bri­tish Columbia Department of Family Med­i­cine Residency Resili­ence Committee. 

With this award CAIR recognizes Dr Beerman for his efforts to create and maintain a culture of resident well-being that has defined the family medicine residency program in Na­naimo. 

His initiatives include ensuring residents are able to familiarize themselves with the Nanaimo area through a month-long family medicine rotation, implementing academic weeks in place of academic half-days, replacing 24-hour call with a call model designed to better balance call/clinic requirements with rest periods, and promoting a culture of wellness that encourages residents to look after themselves.