Why YOU should run for CPSA Council

Read time: 3 minutes

Gain experience and help guide the profession

CPSA’s next Council election is taking place this fall. To help you decide if now is the time for YOU to run, Dr. Daisy Fung shares what her experiences over the last two years on CPSA Council have taught her.

Why run, reason #1: you can bring energy and ideas to the table

Council needs and values diverse perspectives in all its work. How CPSA should respond to racism in health care has been at the forefront of our work for the last two years. Important decisions like this cannot happen without a variety of voices at the table—Albertans need this diversity so change can happen.

I’ve used my experiences as a young, female family physician and mother to bring my perspective to Council discussions. Being an active advocate has also helped me communicate with other physicians, and bring my colleagues’ concerns to the Council table. I am also now involved in strategic planning, where I believe my perspective will help shape the future direction of CPSA.

Why run, reason #2: You can gain leadership experience

As a CPSA Councillor, I’ve grown as a physician, advocate, speaker and team member in ways I couldn’t have predicted. I’ve learned how to listen better, to be open to all opinions, to respectfully debate and most importantly, to be able to change my mind on a position. I’ve learned how to better navigate communication on social media and with others we interact with while on Council. It is also a pleasure to be among my fellow Councillors, who serve as teachers, mentors and role models. I have learned so much from each of them, and it has been a humbling experience.

When I ran for Council I thought I understood CPSA’s mandate, but for the last two years I have gained a much deeper understanding and appreciation of what CPSA does for Albertans. This has increased my passion for “doing what’s right” and protecting Albertans while striving to provide them with the highest quality medical care.

Why run, reason #3: You can shape health care in Alberta

I’m proud to be on CPSA Council. The work is not always easy, but it is always rewarding. One of the best learning experiences for me was the extensive discussion, work and crafting of CPSA’s standard Closing or Leaving a Medical Practice, and the advice on job action. The goal to protect all Albertans and strive for quality health care was clear during this work. Listening, consulting and collaborating with others helped me grow as an advocate and leader. Our discussions and debates have strengthened my pride in CPSA.

Participating on Council also supports the medical profession. The diversity of Councillors, including the increase in public perspectives, will serve and protect Albertans, and I look forward to where CPSA is headed. I believe CPSA is a leader amongst the regulatory colleges, and I am especially proud to see how the REVU (Research and Evaluation Unit) team’s hard work guides CPSA and Council. We know evidence-based medicine is key in our profession, and to see how it plays a part in regulatory work has been eye opening for me.

Finally, being a Councillor has been refreshing for me during a stressful time as a practising family physician in Alberta during a pandemic. The purity of always asking “what’s best for patients” and “how can we do better for all Albertans“, with the clear aim to ask, debate, reassess, change direction, recognize mistakes and respond by advocating for change and action, have not only made a difference to health care in Alberta, but also in my own individual practice and day-to-day work. I’ve changed for the better, because of what I have learned by being on CPSA Council, even for just a few short years.

Dr. Daisy Fung is a Family Physician in Edmonton with a full-scope clinic, offering prenatal and newborn care as well as palliative home visits and long-term care. She is also a Faculty Advisor for the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta, taking part in research, and teaching medical students and residents. Outside of medicine, Daisy enjoys spending time with her family, curling and playing hockey.