Name: Edward Schaffer (he/him/his)
Job Title: Physician
Years of Service: 7
Worksite: Invermere & District Hospital and East Kootenay Regional Hospital
Community: Invermere/Cranbrook
Ancestral Territory: Born in the Treaty 7 Territory in Alberta; currently working in the Akisqnuk (part of the Ktunaxa First Nation) and Secwépemc
Growing up in a small town of 1,500 in southern Alberta, Edward knew early on he wanted to work in rural medicine. Inspired by a view of the Rocky Mountains from his childhood home, he dreamt of one day settling in a place surrounded by mountains, lakes, and wilderness.
Fast forward several years, and Edward has realized both his professional and geographical ambitions. He’s now based in Invermere and works as a physician with Added Competence in Emergency Medicine (CCFP-EM) and head of the emergency department at Invermere District Hospital. He’s also a locum emergency department (ED) physician at East Kootenay Regional Hospital, supporting the facility as needed.
Learn more about Edward’s journey with IH
After completing medical school in Calgary, Edward was fortunate enough to be placed as a year-two resident in Invermere while completing the rest of his residency training in Nanaimo.
“I had travelled to Invermere on occasion as a child for family holidays, but I could not have appreciated how great the community was until experiencing it as a medical learner,” he says. “The community was extremely welcoming, and the entire East Kootenay medical culture is very supportive of new physicians.”
This community support enabled Edward to continue his ED training in Nanaimo, which involved flying back once a month for four years to train in their busy ED through their practice eligible emergency medicine program.
“This allowed me to build confidence and experience in the ED while still supporting my rural community. Since then, I have been active with many of the projects related to ED and trauma care within Interior Health and B.C., belonging to a few regional and province-wide committees as an advocate for rural hospitals.”
In Invermere, the mix of full-service rural medicine and the abundance of tourism and ski hill trauma keeps the ED busy “with enough procedures and pathology to be exciting”, while the geography and weather makes transport at times interesting.
Early in his career, Edward was also able to pick up additional ED shifts at East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook, which helped to further deepen his knowledge.
This blend of rural and regional ED care has opened my eyes to the complexity that is ED care in the East Kootenays, but I’m also very appreciative of the work we all do to provide the best care to our patients.
Though his schedule may sound incredibly busy and intense, Edward always manages to find time for family and hobbies, making the most of the natural topography of the area and the active community that is Invermere.
“My family has been able to enjoy easy access to the back country, as well as the amenities that tourism offers our small community. We enjoy skiing at Panorama and my nine-year-old son is an active little hockey player with our local association. Summer brings about hiking, mountain biking, and lots of hunting and fishing.
“We have also been very fortunate to set down roots and purchase a small farm in Windermere last year, so most of our free time now is spent caring for our sheep, cows, horses, and chickens, and adding/improving the infrastructure. My son and his four-month-old sister are going to enjoy the love and hard work that caring for animals has to offer, and to do it surrounded by the mountains is a real blessing.”
Edward's favourite quote/advice to live by
What is success?
To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate the beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
Edward nominates Aron Zuidhof, physician, to keep We Are IH going
“Aron’s work with the Emergency Services Network and with ED care throughout IH is exemplary. He has a great understanding of the complexities of ED care throughout all facets of IH, and with his leadership and support many regional projects have kicked off and continue to show significant promise and deliver on their mandates.” – Dr. Edward Schaffer
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