From Womb to Tomb
Dr. Shelley Ross
Full-Service Family Physician
Q: How long have you been a doctor?
A: I’ve been practicing for 33 years.
Q: Describe the patients who come to see you.
A: Fifty percent are obstetrics and the other fifty percent are general practice. I care for lots of families of many generations. For the ones I delivered as babies, I’m now delivering their children. So, I said if I get to their grandchildren, I’m gone!
Q: What’s your official title?
A: I’ve held many titles:
- Chair of the Local Medical Advisory Committee
- Member of the health authority medical advisory committee
- Head of the Perinatal Program team
- Honourary Secretary Treasurer, BC Medical Association Board
- Past President, Federation of Medical Women of Canada and the Medical Women’s International Association
- Secretary General, Medical Women’s International Association
Q: Describe a typical day for you.
A: I got up at four thirty in the morning, delivered a baby, did my rounds (because pregnant women are always up by five o’clock breastfeeding), went home and got ready for the day. I came back and did a cesarean at eight o’clock, and then went to the office for nine o’clock, worked in the office until about six o’clock, went home and then went to bed. And then I got a call from a patient that went into labour, got up and delivered at four thirty.”
Q: What do you love most about your job?
A: It’s the best job in the world because it has variety. It has interesting work. It has the fulfillment of feeling that you’ve actually done something worthwhile – one person at a time.
Q: Why is it important to support our community hospital?
A: You may not need the hospital today, but you don’t know what tomorrow brings. And when it’s your turn to come to Burnaby Hospital, you want to make sure it’s got the resources, the equipment, what you need to be taken care of in the same manner as anybody else.
