Dr. Karen Buhler on the Women’s Health Committee, physician community, and growing ideas through the Division
“I’m excited that the Maternity Care Committee has evolved to become the Women’s Health Committee, taking on a bigger mandate in response to the strong need for education and connection. If you’re interested in helping physicians provide better healthcare for women, particularly around menopause and aging, I encourage you to reach out and apply for this committee.” - Dr. Karen Buhler
Are you interested in joining this or another Vancouver Division committee? Learn more here.
Dr. Karen Buhler became involved with the Vancouver Division of Family Practice as one of the founding members of the Division’s Maternity Care Committee, now the Women’s Health Committee.
At the time, she was working at BC Women’s Hospital and seeing firsthand the growing pressures affecting maternity care providers across Vancouver.
“There were a lot of issues that were bigger than just our hospital, our community, or my own practice,” she says.
She believed the Division could help bring family physicians together across hospitals, clinics, and communities to improve communication, strengthen support networks, and advocate for better maternity care across the city.
“We wanted to improve patient care and improve work satisfaction,” Dr. Buhler explains. “Communication and networking were huge pieces of that.”
One of the committee’s earliest initiatives was the “But I Don’t Do Maternity Care” educational series, created to support family physicians who did not regularly provide maternity care but still needed practical guidance around prenatal management and referrals.
The sessions combined education with peer connection, giving physicians opportunities to ask questions, learn from colleagues, and better understand evolving maternity care practices.
“The feedback we got was that people wanted to socialize and learn at the same time,” Dr. Buhler says. “They really liked being able to ask questions, connect with us, and learn in a casual setting.”
The program eventually expanded beyond Vancouver and grew into broader educational collaborations across BC, including partnerships with UBC Continuing Professional Development.
For Dr. Buhler, that growth demonstrated how physician-led ideas can evolve when physicians are able to collaborate, share expertise, and build on one another’s work.
“You can leverage a small idea and take steps to help it grow,” she says. “That’s a real advantage of the Division.”
Along the way, she also found involvement helped her develop skills outside of direct patient care, including facilitation, leadership, and medical education.
“It helped me become a more effective doctor, colleague, and leader,” she says.
Importantly, Dr. Buhler emphasizes that physician involvement through the Division is recognized as valuable professional work.
“You offer to do the work, but you’re reimbursed for it,” she says. “It becomes part of your professional work.”
Today, the Women’s Health Committee continues bringing physicians together around shared challenges in care while creating opportunities for peer support, collaboration, and ongoing learning.
“There are so few opportunities now to casually connect with colleagues,” Dr. Buhler says. “Being involved in the Division creates opportunities to meet with your peers, get support, and offer support.”
For physicians considering involvement, Dr. Buhler encourages them not to underestimate the value of simply connecting with colleagues and contributing where they can.
Over time, even small initiatives and conversations can grow into larger programs, stronger physician communities, and meaningful improvements in care.
If you are interested in getting involved with the Vancouver Division of Family Practice, including through physician committees and collaborative initiatives, visit our physician involvement page to learn more about current opportunities to connect, collaborate, and contribute.