Chair’s Message: Happy Holidays (December 2023)

Dear colleagues and friends,

As we rush (or crawl!) toward the holiday break, I am reflecting on the level of commitment that each of us brings every day, in all our roles. As clinicians, teachers, researchers, and learners—but also as parents, partners, siblings, caregivers, and more. As members of diverse communities, we all wear many hats and we bring those diverse roles and experiences to the DFCM community. 

I am grateful to work among colleagues who bring passion to their work in family medicine and also compassion for themselves and each other. That energy is needed as we work to highlight the importance of family medicine as the foundation of the health system and hopefully to spark positive change when so many people cannot access primary care.

Despite many challenges, we continue to build community every day. We train the next generation of family physicians, we advocate for our patients, and we champion the discipline of family medicine in order to make the world a healthier place for all. I am grateful for this wonderful department and the culture of grace and decency that makes this work possible.

We may not have solved the problems of primary care (yet!), but at a time when it is traditional to reflect on our successes, please take a quick moment to consider yours. Not only the large and formal accolades but the small wins—both personal and professional—that build on each other to allow you to continue to play the many roles you play every day and in so doing, make the world a better place.  

I hope that you are able to enjoy some well-deserved rest and renewal over this holiday season.

With sincere personal thanks for your hard work this year and best wishes for a healthy 2024,
Danielle