Dr. David Snadden is a professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC), based at UBC’s distributed site in Prince George. He is also the Rural Doctors’ UBC Chair in Rural Health; in this capacity he works closely with the Rural Coordination Centre of BC developing rural research capacity and advocating for rural issues. He enjoys supporting young people and supervises three scholars engaged in rural research projects, and supports several other young researchers and students.
Currently interested in supporting rural health through research and advocacy, Dr. Snadden is focused on how to support the next generation of family physicians in rural practice, and how the health care system needs effective change to provide fulfilling, supported, and balanced career options in the future. His current research activities include: Partnering for Change 2, which is examining how northern health is transforming primary health care in northern British Columbia; how to develop a hermeneutic approach to implementation science; and a national study on early career primary care practice patterns.
Dr. Snadden has travelled to many rural communities and talked to and engaged with those who are providing health care and health care education, as well as patients and community members. He claims this has helped him understand current rural issues and has given him a foundation for advocating for change.
Calvin L. Gutkin Family Medicine Ambassador Award
This award is named in honour of Dr. Calvin Gutkin, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the CFPC from 1996 to 2012. The award recognizes a dynamic leader in Canadian family medicine distinguished for their vision, innovation, and relationship building with organizations that support and positively influence the ever-changing role of the family physician. The first award aptly went to the man for whom it was named.