How long have you worked at VCH?
I’m into my 9th year as academic staff at VGH, 14 years including my specialty training in Emergency Medicine.
What do you do and what do you like most about your job?
I’m an Emergency Physician, aka “ER doc”. Our team and the inspiring quality of care we provide our patients. I cannot give more praise to our Emergency department (ED) team which is made up of so many wonderfully talented health care professionals from diverse backgrounds. There are few such rewarding careers that involve working so closely with patients and high caliber colleagues in such a fascinating, fast paced, high-stakes, controlled-chaos environment that is the ED. I feel privileged to be part of this dynamic team and am so proud of the bench marking high standards of care we provide in the ED and at VGH. The ED remains the critical healthcare safety net for those most in need and I enjoy the clinical, academic and administrative practices and challenges at VGH. I also really enjoy the social interactions at work with patients, their families and with our team. I love being able to problem solve on the fly – we do this every day in the ED.
What is the most interesting thing you have been paid to do?
Ride as the Health Canada appointed staff physician in the US Vice-Presidential motorcade during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. You’ve never experienced a true entourage until you ride with this motorcade!
Tell us one thing (professionally or personally) that we might be surprised to find out about you?
I completed a 7-day “whiskey route” trek to summit Mt Kilimanjaro while climbing with a 25-30 kg backpack containing mostly medical supplies and with only a portion of a small personal sized alcohol sanitizer – I like to be prepared for medical emergencies and like to have clean hands! The airline lost my bag with technical clothing, gear and sanitizers. FYI – I did (successfully) use a number of medical supplies to treat our team!
Name three things you always have in your fridge
My wife gave me a fantastic blender and I enjoy juicing and making drinks, so there are many tasty items always in the fridge. Staples – yogurt, spinach, assorted fruits…and maple syrup (replaces sugar and honey in much of our gustatory adventures). Now my freezer, that’s a different story!
How do you like to spend your days off?
With cherish downtime my wife and family. I also enjoy unwinding by honing my high end audiophile tendencies – I love music. I have also rediscovered running. 2016 is the year that I learn the guitar – I have my mom’s first guitar and it needs to be played!
Which character from any movie best represents you?
If you use my travels abroad and associated enthusiastic greetings I receive, then I would have to say a Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee character! But perhaps if you ask my wife, I think more fitting would be “Noah” from The Notebook.
Help Dr. Kim Sing and the ER team advance patient care.
