Dr. Sandy Buchman is firm believer in the idea that if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
Before obtaining his medical degree and completing his family medicine residency at McMaster University, he had a background in psychology and worked as a relationship-based social worker. Dr. Buchman is naturally drawn to the social accountability aspect of family medicine and is driven to help those in need. Over the course of his career this has included collaborating with social workers in various communities to develop supportive strategies for patients and advocating for positive change in the health care system. He says his patients led him to make these choices in his work and inspired him to take on many leadership roles.
Dr. Buchman was a clinician at a comprehensive family medicine practice in Mississauga, Ontario, for more than two decades before he decided to focus on palliative care. He worked full-time in home-based palliative care at the Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care in Toronto for 15 years. He then took on work with the Palliative Education and Care of the Homeless (PEACH) service through Inner City Health Associates. Dr. Buchman is now the Freeman Family Chair in Palliative Care at North York General Hospital.
He has been consistently involved with the Ontario College of Family Physicians since completing his residency. He has also been an active leader in national associations since then, both with the CFPC and the Canadian Medical Association.
Dr. Buchman loves spending time with friends, watching films, taking on various water sports, and going to the family cottage.
W. Victor Johnston Award
This award honours the late Dr. W. Victor Johnston, the CFPC’s first Executive Director (1954–1964), and recognizes renowned Canadian or international family physicians who have made an outstanding leadership contribution to family medicine in Canada or abroad.