Destiny Lu-Cleary

Destiny Lu-Cleary, Ontario, pending move to British Columbia, is proposed as a contested nominee with the following attributes:

Provides primary care, emergency medicine, and in-patient medicine across diverse populations, including remote, rural, urban, and inner-city settings, with focus on Indigenous and vulnerable communities.
Resident representative of the Program Evaluation and Quality Improvement Committee of the NOSM University Family Medicine Program, and Senate member.
Advocacy work improving immigrant health literacy while on the Chinese Canadian Medical Society Board.
Clinical lecturer, NOSM University.
In the third year of practice as of the 2025 Board election.

Dear CFPC Members,

My name is Destiny Lu-Cleary, and I am honoured to introduce myself as a nominee for the CFPC Board of Directors. As a rural and remote family physician in Northern Ontario with roots in British Columbia, I have experienced first-hand the impact, versatility, and challenges of our discipline across Canadian communities. I am running to serve family physicians of Canada by bringing a strong voice for health equity, diversity, and medical education.

I completed my MD at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2021 and my family medicine residency in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in 2023. During residency, I was elected Senator to NOSM University’s inaugural Senate, where I represented learners at the university’s highest academic governing body. As NOSM University transitioned to an independent university, I worked to shape foundational policies. This experience taught me how to lead within complex and rapidly evolving systems. I hope to bring that same thoughtful mindset to the CFPC Board as we navigate an era of technological and societal transformation.

I also served as the resident representative on NOSM University’s Family Medicine Program Evaluation and Quality Improvement Committee, contributing to curriculum development, assessment strategies, and accreditation. I worked closely with faculty to ensure resident voices were integrated meaningfully into program design. These roles deepened my understanding of medical education and strengthened my commitment to fostering excellence in the next generation of family doctors.

My clinical experiences span a broad scope of practice and geography. At UBC Vancouver, I experienced the unique challenges facing British Columbia’s diverse immigrant population, and the harsh realities of inner-city medicine in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. In Northern Ontario, I served the rural communities of Thessalon and Wawa, and remote Indigenous fly-in communities in Northwestern Ontario. Practising without road access or immediate specialist backup has made me acutely aware of the systemic gaps and structural inequities that rural patients and providers face. This helped me build adaptability with an expanded scope of practice—including emergency care, hospitalist medicine, and longitudinal primary care. I plan to return home to British Columbia and continue my commitment to underserved populations.

Outside of clinical care, I have long advocated for vulnerable populations. I worked to improve health literacy and access to care among immigrant populations as a board member of the Chinese Canadian Medical Society. Furthermore, I directed a student-driven outreach project to support hundreds of isolated seniors across British Columbia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work has shown me the importance of family physicians as advocates and trusted community allies.

Each stage of my journey has been guided by the values of service, compassion, and curiosity. If elected, I promise to listen attentively, advocate eagerly, and work tirelessly to strengthen our profession nationwide. Family physicians are clinicians, educators, scholars, and changemakers, and I will do everything I can to ensure that each of you continues to feel proud to be a part of our organization—the CFPC.

Sincerely,

Dr. Destiny Lu-Cleary, MD, CCFP

Clinical lecturer, NOSM University

Family physician – Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Watch the video introduction

Please see Dr. Lu-Cleary’s CV.

Conflict of Interest declaration and mitigation strategy:

In regard to potential conflicts of interest, I wish to declare that I may receive an honorarium from Deep Breathe, a startup developing AI-integrated point-of-care lung ultrasound. To mitigate any potential conflicts of interest, I would ensure that I do not promote Deep Breathe’s products within the CFPC leadership or Board. I would also recuse myself from discussions or decisions that could directly impact Deep Breathe or similar technologies.

Additionally, I would maintain clear boundaries between my work with Deep Breathe and my role within the CFPC, ensuring they remain distinct and aligned with ethical guidelines. I would continue to ensure full transparency by disclosing my involvement to CFPC leadership. Please do not hesitate to reach out if there are any further questions.