Connecting generations through family practice

Medicine is bringing together more generations of practicing physicians than ever before, each with unique values, communications styles and expectations around work-life balance, leadership and patient care.  

On this episode of “Coaching Physicians: A Prescription for Leadership,” hosts Lorie Campbell and Verna MacDonald sat down with two healthcare professionals from different generations: baby boomer physician Dr. John Chiasson and millennial physician Dr. Emma Chiasson.  

These physicians are not only colleagues – they are father and daughter, offering a rare inside look at how family medicine has evolved across generations and what we can learn from each other along the way.

Meet the Chiassons

John graduated from Dalhousie University’s medical school in 1979 and has been practicing comprehensive family medicine in Antigonish since 1980, building more than four decades of community-based family practice.

Emma also graduated from Dalhousie’s medical school in Halifax, albeit in 2016, and is working as a family physician at Antigonish Family Practice and as a hospitalist with the geriatric assessment and rehabilitation unit at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, also in Antigonish County. She says her inspiration for medicine was shaped her by father, a respected rural physician and community leader.

Generational strengths

Both doctors say that each generation brings tremendous value to the field.

In terms of generation-specific strengths, “Millennial physicians do patient-centred care really well,” says Emma. “From day one in medical school, we learned how to FIFE in clinical encounters,” explaining that the acronym stands for feelings, ideas, functions and expectations.

Doctors of Emma’s generation explore feelings as part of care. “It’s not enough to the know the answer to the patient’s problem. We need to be able to weave the patient story so the solution is feasible within their socioeconomic circumstances and their values,” she says.

John agrees.

“Listening is the key part of the entire process. It took me a lifetime of practice to gain the skillsets that she was trained with. But I’ve evolved into that person by doing the things that she’s learned in a very brief time,” he says.

Embracing change

Change is inevitable and, while it can be challenging, an openness to new ways of doing things is necessary to grow and evolve family medicine. Emma and John say this is true when embracing new technologies, as well as in succession planning.

“When it comes to replacing retiring physicians, it’s not just a matter of finding a new graduate to fill that space,” Emma says. “We have to understand what new graduates are looking for and what they value.”

“We’re seeing that people are willing to do that – to make those changes and continuously evolve for the benefit of the community and the patients,” she adds.

Life outside of work

Both physicians share how important it is to have a life outside of work. Taking time away doesn’t come naturally to John, but he understands the importance of physician wellness and work-life balance.

“There’s no point in me coming here if I have no one to go home to,” says John, of his practice. “Maintaining that ability to get home and have a life outside of medicine is something that [younger generations] do very well.”

Advice

Emma’s recommendation to physicians starting their careers is to listen and take advice from preceptors and physicians, particularly those nearing the end of their careers.  

She also says connecting closely with other healthcare professionals is key to holistic care.

“I’ve worked on a number of teams where I’ve gotten so much input from other professionals – occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social work – who are spending more time with the patient than I am,” Emma points out.  

“There’s a lot of value that each team member brings and I’d like to see each member be able to contribute more and in an equal way to benefit the care of the patient.”

When John is asked what advice he has for Emma, his answer is clear.

“If she needed some advice, I’d be happy to share on any topic but I have nothing to advise. She’s doing quite well on her own,” he says, proudly.

Listen to the “Coaching Physicians: A Prescription for Leadership” featuring John and Emma on Spotify here and Apple podcasts here.

May 19 is Family Physician Day in Canada. Thank you to all the family physicians who make such a difference for patients and families in Nova Scotia and around the world. 

Photo of (L-R) Dr. John Chiasson and Dr. Emma Chiasson.