Dr. George Carruthers was recently recognized by Dalhousie University with the prestigious Preceptor of the Year Award for the province of Prince Edward Island. This award was recently presented at the Faculty Development Workshop hosted by Dalhousie University in Halifax.
This Award is presented annually to one family physician in each of the maritime provinces, in recognition of outstanding training of medical students and residents.
Dr. Richard Wedge, Director of Medical Programs for the Department of Health, said, “Health educators such as Dr. Carruthers make it possible to provide training opportunities in Prince Edward Island. Physicians involved in this effort teach and guide medical students and residents throughout their clinical rotation while they are training to become a physician. In turn, those physicians indicate it helps them to keep current with advances in medicine and enables them an opportunity to return what they have received while completing their training.”
“Our ability to recruit more family doctors to PEI is greatly enhanced by enabling prospective physician recruits to spend time working throughout our province directly with Island physicians,” added Dr. Wedge.
Through this effort, medical students and residents are provided with a good understanding of the practice and lifestyle opportunities PEI can offer. Feedback from students and residents on their educational experience in PEI has been extremely positive, many of whom return to complete additional rotations.
Since January of this year, medical students have worked as clinical clerks with a family doctor for approximately four to six weeks. Medical students from Dalhousie University, McGill University, Memorial University, University of British Columbia, Queens University and University of Ottawa have participated in the program.
The Preceptor of the Year Award reflects the leadership, dedication, and teaching ability of Dr. Carruthers.
Dr. Carruthers received his medical degree from Dalhousie University in 1991 and received his certification from the Canadian College of Family Practitioners in 1993. He also completed a fellowship in Medical Education at the University of Toronto in 2003. He has a family medicine practice at the Parkdale Medical Centre and is active on several committees such as the Physician Resource Planning Committee. He lives with his wife and three children in Charlottetown.
Several other Island family physicians also teach and guide medical students through family medicine clinical rotations on PEI including: Dr. Phil Hansen, Dr. George Carruthers, Dr. Mireille Lecours, Dr. Ken Coady, Dr. Randy MacKinnon, Dr. Alfred Morais, Dr. David Reid, Dr. Peter MacKean, Dr. Cyril Moyse, Dr. Andrew Wohglemut, Dr. Doug Tweel, Dr. Frank Estey, Dr. Lana Beth Barkhouse, Dr. Adrianna Veer, Dr. Stirling Keizer, Dr. Peter Hooley, Dr. Chris MacNearney, Dr. Helga Reisch, Dr. Kathy McNally, Dr. Paul Berrow, Dr. Ed White and Dr. Trina Stewart. This teaching program has been in place since 2001.