Ian Young
Twenty-two years ago, as a family medicine resident, I had the privilege of serving as Chair of the Section of Residents of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Under the governance structure at that time, the chair also served as a director on the CFPC Board. It was an extraordinary opportunity for a young physician in training to contribute to national discussions about the future of family medicine and the profession I was preparing to enter.I never imagined that more than two decades later I would have the opportunity to once again contribute to the Board and the College that helped shape my career.
In many ways, this feels like coming home.
My path to medicine was not a traditional one. Before entering medical school, I worked in pharmacy, hospital administration, and health care leadership roles in Ontario and Nova Scotia. Those experiences provided valuable insight into health care operations, governance, financial stewardship, workforce challenges, and organizational leadership. I consider myself fortunate to be one of the relatively few physicians who had the opportunity to experience health care from an administrative and operational perspective before becoming a doctor. That experience continues to shape how I approach leadership, problem-solving, and governance today.
After completing medical school at Memorial University of Newfoundland and family medicine residency in Sudbury through the University of Ottawa, I spent many years providing comprehensive family medicine, caring for patients and families across the lifespan. Those years reinforced for me the privilege of being a family physician and the central role our profession plays in the health of our communities.
Today, my practice is focused on occupational and environmental medicine. As a health services officer with the RCMP, I serve police officers and other public safety personnel whose health and well-being are essential to the communities they protect. I also provide medical oversight to multiple municipal fire services across Ontario, supporting firefighters in the delivery of delegated controlled medical acts that enhance emergency and pre-hospital care within their communities.
One of the accomplishments of which I am most proud was helping Barrie Fire and Emergency Services become the first fire service in Ontario to equip firefighters with naloxone in 2017. What began as a local initiative helped expand access to life-saving overdose treatment and demonstrated the important role family physicians can play in advancing public health and reducing barriers to care.
I have also had the privilege of serving on numerous boards and committees in health care, education, and community organizations. Most recently, I was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Occupational and Environmental Medical Association of Canada.
Having grown up in Newfoundland, I carry with me a strong appreciation for community, humility, hard work, and service to others. Those values continue to guide me today.
I believe the CFPC is strongest when it reflects the diversity of family medicine itself. Academic leaders are essential, but so too are physicians whose experiences have been shaped by community practice, administration, governance, occupational medicine, public safety, and advocacy. I hope to bring that perspective to the Board.
It would be an honour to once again serve the College that helped shape my career and to contribute to its work on behalf of family physicians and the patients we serve.
Dr. Young’s CV.
