Resident board member brings unique perspective to Division governance

Resident board member brings unique perspective to Division governance

by | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized

Meet Dr. Kelsey Summerhill, first resident to serve on Chilliwack Division board

By Mari-Len De Guzman

When the Chilliwack Division of Family Practice opened a seat for a resident family doctor to join its board of directors, Dr. Kelsey Summerhill knew it was an opportunity she had to take.

Now in her second year as a Chilliwack Division board member, Summerhill has provided a unique perspective to the governance team and serves as a crucial voice in shaping the direction of primary care in the community.

“We are sort of caught in this in-between, where we’re not med students anymore but we’re not practicing physicians yet,” says Summerhill. “Our input as residents can be really helpful because we’re often in a unique situation where we’re seeing things from a different perspective.”

A woman in graduation attire stands in front of flowering bushes, holding a plaque that reads “Kelsey Summerhill, MD, 2024” from the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Kelsey Summerhill

An important aspect of her role on the board is educating her peers about the Division’s work and how it can impact the residents’ journey to family practice.

“Providing just a little bit of education even bridges that gap between the residents and the Division,” Summerhill adds.

That bridge-building has already translated into tangible results. With insight from Summerhill, the Division has expanded access to educational ventures and professional development initiatives that were historically reserved only for practicing family physicians and nurse practitioners.

Equally critical is her contribution to physician recruitment and retention. Bringing her early-career insights to board discussions, Summerhill helps shape strategies that make Chilliwack a more welcoming, supportive environment for visiting residents and specialty trainees.

“A big part of the Division’s role is recruitment and looking at getting people to Chilliwack to stay and work,” Summerhill notes. “I’ve been able to provide perspective on how they can make the community more appealing to residents training here now, as well as visiting residents, so we can better support them and the broader community.”

Beyond advocating for her peers, serving on the board has given Summerhill a front-row seat to the dynamics of the local and provincial health-care systems.

Navigating complex funding streams from various levels of government, for example, has provided insights on how community health decisions move from policy to practice.

“It’s been a huge learning curve,” says Summerhill. “I’ve learned a lot about where funding comes from and all the parameters that come with it. I have a much better perspective on what things can be done by the Division versus the health authority, and everyone’s role in our health-care system.”

This high-level understanding not only helps her guide current residents toward local and regional resources but also equips her to be a more effective physician-leader as she transitions from residency to full-time practice.

For Chilliwack Division, the decision to bring a resident onto the board was a strategic move to ensure the governance body reflects the makeup of the local medical community. It was also a deliberate step toward building early connections with physicians before they transition to full-time practice.

“Residents bring an invaluable, fresh perspective to the table. They see our local system with fresh eyes and represent the future of family medicine in our community,” says Daphne McRae, executive director of the Chilliwack Division of Family Practice.

“Kelsey’s insights have been essential in helping us understand how the Division can better support learners, ensuring our programs and recruitment efforts align with what new-to-practice physicians actually need.”

As the first resident to ever sit on Chilliwack Division’s board, Summerhill has set a compelling precedent that ensures the governance body truly reflects the community it serves.

Chilliwack physicians step up to drive health-system improvements

Chilliwack physicians step up to drive health-system improvements

by | Aug 3, 2026 | Uncategorized

Division leadership roles offer opportunities to shape local health care

By Mari-Len De Guzman

The Chilliwack Division of Family Practice believes in empowering community physicians and nurse practitioners to help shape the future of health care in Chilliwack, Agassiz and Hope. One way the Division is delivering this mission is through leadership opportunities that allow frontline clinicians to spearhead innovative programs, improve system efficiencies, and mentor their peers.

Meet two current physician leaders who are carving their path in innovative leadership, bridging systemic gaps and driving health-system improvements.

Driving innovation in dementia care

A person wearing glasses and a blue headscarf stands in front of a wooden sign that reads “Cedar Family Practice” on a green wall.

Dr. Abimbola Dada

As the project lead physician for the Dementia Roadmap initiative, Dr. Abimbola Dada has taken the helm of a transformative, dual-track program across long-term-care facilities in the community.

Launched to reduce the hidden trauma of preventable emergency room transfers for dementia patients, Dada’s leadership has focused on empowering both frontline staff and educating patient families.

Under her guidance, the project integrated standardized clinical toolkits directly into point-of-care workflows. The program’s impact is clear: frontline staff reported a 58 per cent increase in confidence in clinical decision-making, shifting care from reactive hospital transfers to proactive, resident-centered care.

“We know that there is no cure for dementia and our focus, basically, is end-of-life comfort care,” Dada says. “In the end, the benefits (of hospital transfer) do not outweigh the risks for dementia patients.”

Dada is driving the project’s sustainability by establishing internal facility “champions” to maintain peer-to-peer mentorship and training.

Building bridges

A man in medical scrubs sits at a table in front of a poster about the Chilliwack Division Vision for primary care providers.

Dr. Perry Tompkins

In acute care, Dr. Perry Tompkins has stepped into a vital leadership role as the lead physician for Chilliwack’s Community Family Physicians In-patient Care program. Aimed at bridging communication and coordination gaps between community and hospital patient care, Tompkins advocates for family doctors who balance responsibilities in both environments.

Tompkins’ leadership ensures family doctors have a seat at the table alongside hospital specialists, giving voice to family physicians who, like him, keep one foot in both worlds to ensure their patients don’t get lost in the transition.

His leadership helps preserve continuity of care, which reduces redundant hospital testing, improves systemic efficiency, and provides patients with a smoother hospital journey.

“At the end of the day, when you get good results and the patient feels like they’ve been looked after, you get a sense of satisfaction from that.”

Shaping the future of health care

Through these leadership roles, Dada and Tompkins are stepping up to help address enduring health-care challenges.

These physicians are only two examples of how Division members are actively building and shaping a more sustainable and resilient health-care system, with leadership support from the Division.

Are you a family physician or nurse practitioner in Chilliwack, Hope and Agassiz who’s interested in taking on leadership roles in our community? Contact Divya Reddy at [email protected] to learn how.