MELFORT 鈥� A Melfort family physician has been elected as the president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association.
鈥淭he continuing challenges of COVID-19 pandemic are top of mind for myself and for physicians,鈥� said Dr. Eben Strydom, who was elected May 7 for a one-year term. 鈥淥ne of my main priorities will be to continue the advocacy work of the SMA for physicians during these unprecedented times.鈥�
Strydom said the pandemic threatens to strain the healthcare system to its limits, even though more people are getting vaccinated.
鈥淧hysicians and health-care workers need resources and supports in place to enable them to do their jobs, for their own safety, the safety of their staff and patients, and the viability of the health system. We can鈥檛 let our guard down now,鈥� he said.
鈥淗opefully by the end of my term the province is in a new place, with a resumption of more normal activities. We all want that. I do too.鈥�
Strydom said rural medicine is one of his priorities. He said every region in the province is different, but they all require a sufficient cohort of physicians to cover clinical work, maintain an ER and have a reasonable call schedule so that they don鈥檛 burn out.
鈥淎ccess to a family physician is a huge concern for residents of rural Saskatchewan,鈥� he said. 鈥淩ecruiting and retaining physicians to rural communities is an issue across Canada, but the provincial government could make rural practice more attractive through compensation and support services. Our country doctors don鈥檛 have to feel isolated or abandoned.鈥�
Strydom moved to Melfort in June 2003. He has served on the Kelsey Trail Regional Medical Association for 16 years, and on the SMA鈥檚 Board of Directors, the Section of Family Practice, and the Intersectional Council. He was elected as the SMA鈥檚 Honorary Treasurer in 2019-20 and as Vice-President in 2020-21.
