Thanking our Residents

Medical residents are an integral part of our health care system. They are after all the future of our profession. This week, February 15-19, marks the 15th annual Resident Awareness Week – a national campaign aimed at raising awareness about the invaluable role resident doctors play in health care.

We all recognize the crucial role played by residents. They are often on the front lines at the most difficult moments in our patients lives, as they provide the 24/7 front line care. 

I did my residency in South Africa. There is a strong tradition there of teaching as we practice. This made for great team work. It was intimidating, invigorating, and exhausting. But we shared the load and that made all the difference.

We all remember the grueling hours, the lack of sleep, the times we questioned ourselves and our abilities – and those moments we will always remember – when we got it right, when we did what seemed impossible only a few months before. As colleague residents, we grew together to become friends, physicians and – yes – would go on to mentor and share our experience with future generations of residents.  

We have more than 1,300 resident doctors training in BC this year. During Resident Awareness Week, Feb 15 to 19, and throughout the year let’s take a moment to say ‘thank you’ to them for their hard work, long hours and commitment; for their passion, energy and new ideas.

On behalf of Doctors of BC and the profession, I’d like to thank our resident doctors for the valuable contributions they make to patients, the community and the profession.

Dr Charles Webb
President, 2015-2016