How did you become interested in your field of public health? What lead you to DLSPH?
My clinical experience as an Addiction Medicine physician has highlighted for me the many challenges faced by my patients such as poverty, poor housing, poor nutrition, and adverse childhood experiences, to name but a few. Sometimes I feel powerless to solve my patients’ problems as an individual practitioner when intervention is needed at a systemic or societal level. Thus, I began to think more of the “big picture” and what upstream changes might be needed to improve my patients’ health. I began to realize the complexity of intervening at these levels given the multiple stakeholders involved and wanted to learn more about how to effect this type of change. Before DLSPH was created, I investigated several MPH programs elsewhere in Canada and the U.S. When DLSPH was created, I was so excited to be able to complete this training in Toronto and graduated in the first year the MPH – Family and Community Medicine program was offered.
In what ways has your DLSPH experience had an impact on your career?
My experience at DLSPH has broadened my horizons. I have learned to look at health and healthcare in a different way. I have learned to challenge the status quo and how to discover the underlying motivations of various stakeholders in order to understand where change can happen. I have met so many brilliant faculty and fellow students. I have had the opportunity to interact with students from other healthcare disciplines at all career levels as well as those whose primary training is outside healthcare.
Was there a specific faculty member or course that was particularly influential?
Mariana Catz was an amazing tutor and resource to me in HAD5010 – Canada’s Health System and Health Policy. Without her, I would have been overwhelmed by this course, not having much of a business or policy background, and would not have gotten as much out of it. She pushed me to challenge my limitations in a safe and supportive environment.
My experience at DLSPH has broadened my horizons. I have learned to look at health and healthcare in a different way.
What have you been doing since leaving DLSPH? What have I not been doing?
I have been trying to maintain a mindset of “appreciative inquiry” and strive to learn from everyone I encounter daily: patients, clinical and academic colleagues, administrators, fellow students in CE programs, family and friends. I have mentored junior faculty into some of my previous leadership roles (Fellowship Program Director and President of the Medical Staff Association) and taken on 2 new roles, one in Clinical Leadership and one in Education. I am now the Medical Head of Addiction Medicine at CAMH, which comprises the Addiction Medicine Clinic, Nicotine Dependence Clinic, Drug Treatment Court and the Problem Gambling Service. I have also had the privilege of joining the rapidly-growing CAMH Education team as Coordinator of Continuing Education. I continue my involvement in the Addictions community and recently joined the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine Education Committee. I am also continuing my involvement in the Ontario Medical Association, where I am a member of OMA Council and am also working to build a collaborative relationship between CAMH and their Physician Health Program.
What advice would you give to younger alumni or current students who aspire to follow a similar career path?
Always keep an open mind. Try to judge less and listen more. Opportunities may come up in the most unlikely of places. If you are able to, take every opportunity to try something new or to work with someone different even if it doesn’t quite fit with your “plan”. Take time to self-reflect and figure out what you really enjoy in life and what you are passionate about. Seek out people with similar passions. Seek out several mentors to gain different perspectives. If a piece of advice doesn’t sit right with you, file it away for future reading. Always keep the biases of the person giving you advice in mind. I was told many times earlier in my career that I should FOCUS on a particular clinical area. I couldn’t bring myself to do it and this has actually served me well as I can now effect change at more levels with my skills as an Addictions generalist. It is also what allowed me to “think big” and lead to my interest in Public Health.
What would you say to a prospective student who is considering DLSPH?
We are so lucky to have so many amazing Faculty right here in our city. Being a student at DLSPH allowed me to further build my network of likeminded colleagues, which I am able to draw from for future collaborations. As a stu dent, I felt DLSPH succeeded very well in bringing together students from varying backgrounds in a safe, egalitarian environment where sharing of ideas and learning together occurred so effortlessly. It has been very exciting to be part of a new and innovative school!
Always keep an open mind. Try to judge less and listen more. Opportunities may come up in the most unlikely of places.
Dr. Lisa Lefebvre is a DLSPH graduate of the MPH in Family and Community Medicine program. In addition to her professorial and medical roles, Dr. Lefebvre is the Immediate Past-President and current Vice-President of the CAMH Medical Staff Association, and Secretary, Central Toronto Clinical Society Executive Committee of the Ontario Medical Association. She is the 2007 and 2008 recipient of the DFCM Professional Development Fund Award; the AMERSA Conference Travel Award (2007); and the College of Family Physicians of Canada Janus CPD Scholarship (2008). She is a published researcher with a growing list of publications and presentations to her name.