Department Spotlight: Dr. Alethea Anderson
What program are you a resident of and what year of residency are you in?
Western Family Medicine, Rural Hanover (PGY2).
Where were you born and raised?
Parry Sound, ON.
What degree(s) do you have, and from what university (ies)?
BSc (Hons) from Wilfrid Laurier University; Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College; MD from St. Matthew’s University (Cayman Islands).
What special interests or hobbies do you have?
I love being outdoors - my husband and I recently bought property and are building a home overlooking Georgian Bay in Nobel, ON (near Parry Sound). We enjoy camping, paddle boarding, swimming, hiking in the summer and lots of snowshoeing in the winter. I’m also a bit of a foodie/vino and love cooking for friends.
Why did you choose to pursue your residency at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry?
I knew that ultimately I would return to Parry Sound to practice and wanted a rural experience similar to the future practice I had planned. Hanover fit the bill perfectly. The experience here has far exceeded my expectations and the faculty, staff, and my fellow residents are incredible people both professionally and personally. It's a small group and so you really get to know each other - feels like home. I love that feeling.
What inspires you in your work?
OB and Palliative Care; there is nothing better than being a pre-cradle to grave family doctor. When you deliver a baby or help someone die comfortably, you become a household name; there is something so rewarding about that. Also, I will be taking over my own family doctor’s practice in May 2017 - how cool is that!?
What has been your greatest experience to date in your residency?
There is no way to choose one. I actually did a year of residency in Buffalo, NY (SUNY) before transferring to Western. I think my greatest experience is probably the feeling I had when I realized I had made the best decision ever by transferring.
What do you do when you aren’t working?
I’m in the middle of sewing a bunch of Christmas stockings for this year’s batch of babies; I started the tradition when my best friend had her first child and now I sew stockings for all the new generation in my group of friends. My husband and I are also in the middle of building our first home - it is hard to do from 2.5 hours away but it's very exciting to go home and see all the progress. Right now my life mostly consists of picking electrical outlet locations and bathtubs and faucets and paint colours in between sewing sessions.
