Connected by learning: a Medical Director’s experience

As a child, Sheila soon realized people working in the health care system could make positive differences in people’s lives. She chose her profession as she loved the idea of having a lifetime career grounded in meaningful work. Sheila has been with VCH for decades and her background in health care is diverse encompassing roles as a clinician, educator, and researcher and experiences spanning psychiatry, neonatal care, event medicine, emergency departments, and primary care. 

Currently, Sheila practices in Urgent Care, a setting that appeals to her because it combines her dual backgrounds in primary care and emergency medicine—her two favorite areas of practice. “In my current role, I have opportunities to teach, mentor, grow and improve our ability to provide excellent care in a brand-new health care setting, which is very appealing,” she says. 

 “Over the years, there have always been opportunities to learn and to grow, whether in relation to clinical or leadership expertise,” Sheila shares. Recently, she completed the Medical Leadership Fundamentals program.

The Medical Leadership Fundamentals program is a resource specially designed for emerging medical leaders at VCH to succeed in the leadership role through developing, building and sustaining effective leadership habits and confidence as well as feeling equipped with relevant fundamental leadership resources in leading the team forward.

“Not only does the course offer practical approaches to common leadership challenges, but the course also provides new leaders with opportunities to connect with others in similar roles – a new peer group,” says Sheila. “The new network helps to mitigate the isolation that can underlie medical leadership roles”. She goes on to share the course materials has been helpful from her first day in a leadership role.

One of the things Sheila loves about working at VCH is her interaction with her colleagues. “We have a great group of providers, nurses, and medical office assistants,” she shares. “If you ever visit a UPCC (urgent and primary care centre), you will witness active collaboration and sharing of expertise. There is a good energy, and we support each other to do some of our best work”.

Day-to-day, Sheila divides her workday between clinical work and leadership activities. Always learning, she tells us that the most exciting aspect of her role is working on special projects, where she gains insights into improving the experiences of patients, families, and providers.

In her leadership role, Sheila collaborates closely with the Directors of VCH Urgent and Primary Care Centres, the Senior Medical Director, and her Department Head. “All are smart, capable and inspiring leaders who are always available to respond to questions, share insights, exchange ideas, support quality improvement activities, and (ultimately) change management,” she shares. Additionally, Sheila has an informal network of educator colleagues from the Leadership Fundamentals team who have been unceasingly supportive as she grows into her new role. “They have offered educational opportunities and served as sounding boards during challenging situations,” she says.

 “If you are thinking about leadership roles, this is a fantastic time to join VCH”, says Sheila. “There is a real understanding of the challenges involved in leadership roles and in front line practice, I have been delighted to find that VCH senior leadership is very much leaning in to provide more education, support and resources to leadership and front-line teams.”

Connect with a new career

Are you a Medical Leader at VCH and are interested in learning more about the Medical Leadership Fundamentals program? The next cohort begins March 2025. Contact the VCH medical staff leadership development team.