Humans of DFCM—Sherree Clark and Trudy Penny

In September 2022, the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) established the University of Toronto Family Medicine Patient Advisory Committee. Designed to promote patient engagement within postgraduate education and improve the quality of primary care, the committee is the first of its kind and seats 16 patient partners, all of whom receive care at a DFCM teaching clinic.

For many patient partners, their interest in joining the committee stemmed from a desire to learn about how family doctors are trained, share their personal experiences to help inform family medicine education and practice, and ultimately improve quality of care.

Sherree Clark has chronic illnesses and has been disabled for most of her life, and she commends her family doctor for tailoring care to her specific needs. But until now, she has never been asked for input about the health care system outside of her doctor’s office. As a member of the Patient Advisory Committee, that has changed.

“I am enjoying the process tremendously,” she says. “I wanted to highlight the inconsistencies in treatment and offer some education where I could. It’s also been a good way to broaden my own understanding of the teaching and training process.”

Clark is a dedicated advocate for underrepresented and misunderstood populations, including women of colour and persons with disabilities. As a wheelchair user who requires different modes of treatment and care, she brings a unique and important perspective to the committee and urges residents to put themselves in other people’s shoes.

“Find a wheelchair or walker and use them to travel a few blocks around your clinic to see what it’s like for different patients,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to offer up my wheelchair for people to try so they can experience the physical issues involved in just getting through the door.”

Trudy Penny, a Midwifery student originally from Grenada who is studying at Toronto Metropolitan University, joined the Patient Advisory Committee because of her interest in health care and desire to improve the system—something she’s learned requires a collaborative group effort and many different perspectives.

“I think it’s important for family doctors to really understand that not all patients feel empowered to voice their concerns or advocate for their own health,” she says. “Navigating the health care system is daunting.”

The hope is that committees like this, by working with educators and the doctors of the future, can make the system easier to access and navigate for all patients.

For that to become a reality, patients also need to understand more about the work of family doctors. As Penny says, family doctors do much more than treat specific issues, they also provide holistic care and are willing to work with patients to help them navigate the system and achieve optimal health—something many patients might not be aware of.

While the focus of the committee is to advise the department about education and care from a patient perspective, patient partners also get to learn more about the health care system they’re a part of.

“The Patient Advisory Committee provides a unique space where patients and providers can discuss, brainstorm, and strategize ways to improve the quality of care patients receive,” Penny says. “I would completely recommend that anyone with the capacity to do so get involved with committees like this to let their voice and experience impact positive change in the health care system.”

“Anyone joining the committee should not be afraid to ask questions,” Clark says. “I’ve learned so much from other people because they ask great questions or offer up extraordinary thoughts. It’s made me revisit my own education and experiences.”

Outside of their work as committee members, Clark and Penny both find joy in spending time with their spouses, family, and friends.

“I’ve travelled the world with my wife of 31 years, and we ‘travel’ with food by exploring different dishes when we’re home,” Clark says. “I also spend a lot of time alone. Sometimes I love that isolation and time to quietly reflect.”

“I have two wonderful children, ages two and five, and I enjoy creating happy memories with them and the people I love,” says Penny. “Some of my favourite ways of doing that include travelling, playing board games, and having family get-togethers.”

Click here to learn more about Sherree Clark, Trudy Penny, and other DFCM patient partners. If you are interested in the work of the committee please contact Dana Arafeh at dana.arafeh@utoronto.ca.

Humans of DFCM is a monthly news series profiling the department’s faculty, staff, and learners. If you know someone who you think should be part of this series, please email dfcm.commsasst@utoronto.ca.