Celebrating Doctors' Day 2024: Dr. Asha Dawson, Family Medicine Physician at Queens Family Health in Liverpool, Nova Scotia

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Born in Wales, United Kingdom, Dr. Dawson was raised in a small Scottish town until her relocation to Canada. She graduated from medical school at just 22 years old before completing general practitioner (GP) training, or what is referred to as family medicine in Canada. This journey included three years in hospital roles followed by two years as a GP trainee, subsequently transitioning into full-time GP practice.

Dr. Dawson's professional interests encompass substance misuse, child protection, and adult psychiatry. She has experience teaching medical school in the UK and worked in a regulatory role as an appraiser within the UK’s equivalent to the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

After more than two decades of practicing medicine in the UK, Dr. Dawson sought a change.

"The health service was becoming so overstretched and under-resourced that it was becoming harder and harder to practice in a compassionate and thorough way. Within my last few years, I felt like I was practicing in a way that was not in alignment with my work ethic," she explained. "Most doctors around me were burnt out, stretched, and undervalued. My husband and I spoke to other UK-bred GPs who had moved to Canada, and they seemed to be happier, having a better work-life balance, and being able to care for patients in a more personal way."

After connecting with Nova Scotia Health's Physician Recruitment Team, Dr. Dawson and her husband visited the province for a site visit and fell in love with the South Shore.

"We chose to come to Liverpool. We decided this adventure would be exciting for us personally and would hopefully allow me to fall back in love with my chosen profession. Everyone from the recruiter to the managers to the other health care professionals helped us so much. The Queens General Hospital Foundation was instrumental in helping us get set up and settled," said Dr. Dawson.

Despite having only been in Nova Scotia for a year, Dr. Dawson and her husband feel more at home than they ever imagined. They were warmly welcomed by the community and Dr. Dawson's new medical colleagues, forming a supportive medical family. "I love the laid-back attitude of my colleagues, which took me a while to adjust to after the UK. I love the simplicity of life. How quiet places are, and how you can have a whole beach to yourself. I love the scenery, the nature, and the wildlife," she said.

Navigating the transition to work in a new country presented challenges due to significant differences in practice, but Dr. Dawson appreciated the time and autonomy afforded to her in her schedule. With the support of her colleagues, she was able to navigate these differences smoothly, aided by the willingness of everyone to lend a helping hand.

"My husband has also been welcomed and loves this new home and life we have created!" she said. "Mostly, I love the people. They feel so genuine and friendly, whilst also respecting your space."

What Dr. Dawson enjoys most about being a doctor is time spent with her patients. "I feel it’s a privilege to be welcomed into patients’ lives and stories and to be part of their health journey. I care about each one of them, and feel happy with my work," she expressed. "Having time here to properly engage with patients, I am enjoying looking at 'health promotion' rather than troubleshooting. I enjoy advocating for my patients and helping them navigate good health care. I find treating mental health and palliative care particularly rewarding."

Her advice for those new to medical practice is to develop good stress relievers and remember that everyone is an individual, so create your own work balance and schedules, and avoid excessive comparison to others.

"Choose the specialty you are passionate about, as it's a long career. Don’t base it on other people's opinions. Staying happy and loving what you do is the best way to prevent job burnout. Try to remind yourself every day what a privilege our role is, as this also helps on the more stressful, challenging days. Be brave to make changes (if it's within your power) to make your job better and less stressful if you're struggling."

Outside of her medical practice, Dr. Dawson loves cooking (mainly Indian food as she is half Indian), reading, creative writing, and hiking.

"It turns out we really enjoy socializing! We didn't realize how much until we moved to Nova Scotia."

Thank you Drs. Ortiz-Alverez, Oja, and Dawson for choosing to practice in Nova Scotia. We wish you and all doctors in our province a Happy Doctors’ Day!