Dr. Catherine Nowierski moved from Ontario to Sun Peaks to fill Dr. Shane Barclay’s absence at Sun Peaks Health Centre and experience a new lifestyle with her family.
As Barclay prepared for his retirement, part-time physician Dr. Signy Frank contacted Nowierski, who she’d known for a number of years, about the possibility of her moving up to Sun Peaks.
“I wasn’t ready to move,” Nowierski said. “We were thinking maybe in a three-to-five year plan.”
In April, she ended up making the move anyway, and has enjoyed it so far.
“The area’s beautiful and I think it has a lot to offer,” she said, adding she thought it would be a nice change of pace.
“I’m looking forward to being part of the community. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people already and I’m just really excited,” she said, adding that she’s not planning on going anywhere.
Settling in
Nowierski spent most of her life in Ontario, completing her undergraduate education and master’s degree in chemistry at Western University. She did her residency in Kingston at Queen’s University, finishing about three years ago, and continued to work in Ontario up north after that.
For medical school, however, she attended the Trinity School of Medicine in the Caribbean.
B.C. is new to her, not just in an environmental sense but in clinical operations. Though still learning some provincial differences, she’s felt very supported in her transition.
“The group that we have at the clinic is really welcoming and team-oriented, so that’s been really great.”
Frank especially has been very helpful, she said.
“I love working with her. That was one of the reasons why I wanted to come.”
She’s also glad to be settling in during the summer rather than the winter when it gets busier on the hill.
“By the winter, then I’ll be a little bit more oriented with everything,” she said. “I think it’ll be an easier transition.”
Goals and responsibilities
Nowierski places importance on ensuring locals get priority from the Sun Peaks Health Centre.
She requested to take on permanent residents of Sun Peaks down to Whitecroft first and adapt to the workflow from there to see if she can take on more patients.
“I do have a limit to what I can do,” she said, explaining that they have a full clinic, but she’ll always try to fit as many people who need help into her schedule.
Even after hours, she’s been called in by patrol to help out with biking injuries.
“Ideally, what the clinic would want is to have a physician just doing the family medicine, and then a physician on patrols,” she said. “Unfortunately, the reality is we don’t have enough physicians.”
Nowierski wants to accommodate as many people in the area as she can and has come up with an idea on how to make healthcare more accessible outside of regular hours.
“We’re going to be starting an after-hours clinic as well on Wednesdays,” she said. “I think it’s going to be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m..”
With work and school during the day affecting availability for parents and working adults, she feels this could bring in some more people.
Her goal is that anyone in Sun Peaks, registered or not, will be able to access services for acute health problems at this clinic.
“I’m here and if someone really needs care, we’ll figure it out.”
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