Getting Involved – Committee Opportunities
When family physicians bring their experience and insight to committee work, Division priorities become more grounded, practical, and responsive to the realities of primary care. Committees are where family physician voices help shape the priorities, projects, and partnerships that strengthen focused areas of care. If you are interested in applying for any of our current openings, here are a few key things to know:
- Committee make-up: Committees range from 6 to 12 members and are made up of family physician members, except for our PCN Steering Committees which include nurse practitioners and patients.
- Staff involvement: Committee members work collaboratively with Division staff on priorities, projects, and initiatives.
- Remuneration and resources: FP members are remunerated at the current sessional rate for time spent attending meetings and working on projects and initiatives.
- Time commitment: Committees meet regularly, often online and bimonthly for approximately 1 to 2.5 hours, with frequency varying by committee.
Join a committee by completing an application, or if you have questions first, email membership@vancouverdivision.com
Women’s Health Committee
Dr. Karen Buhler
“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.
Mental Health & Addictions Committee
Dr. Tania Culham
“One of the best things about coming to committee meetings was hearing what everyone else knew,” she says. “People would say, ‘Oh, this service exists,’ or ‘Here’s how you access this.’ That kind of information sharing is incredibly valuable.”
PCN Steering Committee
Dr. Junella Lee
“When you’re trying to make changes in the system, you realize you’re one small part of a very large, complicated system,” she says. “Being involved gives people an opportunity to understand how to better integrate in the system and advocate within it.”
Current Vacancies
We are currently recruiting members for the following committees:
- Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Task Force
- Membership Committee
- Mental Health and Addictions (MHA) Committee
- Primary Care Network (PCN) Steering Committees
Current Standing Committees
All the Vancouver Division committees are listed below, and their current vacancy status is marked. If you’d like to join a committee that is full, please submit an application and we will reach out if a space opens up.
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Task Force
Positions Available
The JEDI Task Force curates and hosts learning and unlearning opportunities for members related to understanding the root causes of health inequities in our healthcare system. The Task Force creates space for members to unpack how this growing awareness can begin to inform improvements in primary care. Since its inception in 2021, the Task Force has organized 23 events across 14 different topics.
Learn more about the JEDI Task Force’s work:
For more information, please email membership@vancouverdivision.com.
Membership Committee
Positions Available
While family physicians attend a wide range of events across the Division’s departments and teams, the Membership Committee focuses on opportunities that build connection and bring cohorts of members together. Physician wellness and supporting members new to practice or new to Vancouver/Canada are just two priority areas.
Explore a few examples of the Membership Committee’s work:
For more information, please email membership@vancouverdivision.com.
Mental Health and Addictions (MHA) Committee
Positions Available
The MHA Committee has done substantial work over the years to help address the missing middle of care for patients whose needs are more complex than what can be fully supported by family physicians in community clinic settings, but who may not meet the mandate or threshold for Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) services.
Explore a few examples of the MHA Committee’s work:
Check out our mental health and substance use page for more information or email membership@vancouverdivision.com.
Dr. Tania Culham
Mental Health & Addictions Committee
“We’re much closer to the ground level,” she says. “You’re not fighting through layers and layers before you can talk to someone who can actually help move things forward.”
Primary Care Network (PCN) Steering Committees
Positions Available
Each of Vancouver’s six geographically defined Primary Care Networks is supported by a dedicated Steering Committee. Each Steering Committee provides local governance and direction for its respective PCN, ensuring that planning and decision-making are responsive to the needs of the specific community it serves. The Committees are responsible for guiding the deployment of Ministry-funded health resources within their PCN. This includes shaping service delivery approaches, identifying and prioritizing local care gaps, and advancing time-limited initiatives to improve patient access to quality primary care.
Membership typically includes a Family Physician Convenor, additional family physicians, a nurse practitioner, and a patient partner. A Vancouver Division facilitator provides coordination and backbone support to enable effective committee functioning.
Examples of Steering Committee responsibilities include:
- Endorsing PCN resource allocation and service planning recommendations
- Providing strategic input on new and evolving Division-led initiatives (e.g., Community-anchored CBT for seniors)
- Serving as ambassadors to providers and community groups in their PCNs, and encouraging providers to build cross-clinic relationships to better serve patients
For more information, please email projects@vancouverdivision.com.
Dr. Junella Lee
PCN Steering Committee
“If physicians are interested in helping to shape the work in their local PCN in Vancouver, joining the steering committee for their local PCN is a great way to get involved. Every family physician in practice in Vancouver has experience that’s relevant. Their input is valuable and appreciated.”
Seniors Across Care Settings Committee
Currently At Capacity
The Seniors Across Care Settings Committee work on a variety of provider and patient resources to support seniors and their families through the many medical, social, and life changes that can come with aging. An early focus of this longstanding committee was establishing the Long Term Care Initiative in Vancouver, which is now a sustained and independent program supporting quality care in long-term care settings.
Explore a few examples of the committee’s work:
For more information, please email jashton@vancouverdivision.com.
Women’s Health Committee
Currently At Capacity
As the newest committee of the Division, this committee reflects the growing demand and interest of our membership for a diversity of clinical topics that fall under the broad umbrella of Women’s Health. The committee begins its work from a solid foundation, building on the profound and impactful work accomplished by the Division’s Maternity Care Committee.
Explore a few examples of the committee’s work:
For more information, please email membership@vancouverdivision.com.
Dr. Karen Buhler
Women’s Health Committee
“You can leverage a small idea and take steps to help it grow,” she says. “That’s a real advantage of the Division.”
Time Limited and One-Time Opportunities
If you have limited time but still would like to contribute in small, discrete ways, please consider submitting an application to be notified when these types of opportunities arise.