Who is a geriatrician? Someone who is dedicated to the health and well-being of our nations elders; someone
who is dedicated to medically complex patient care involving interacting medical, neurological, psychiatric
and social problems; someone who is on the front lines in coping with the changes associated with the
graying of our societyand more!
Every month, Geriatrics & Aging briefly profiles a practitioner of this important specialty.
November 2009
Dr. Angela Juby
October 2009
Dr. Kenneth Madden
September 2009
Dr. Howard Bergman
July 2009
Dr. Michael Gordon
June 2009
Dr. Roger Wong
 Dr. Angela Juby
Dr. Angela Juby is an Associate Professor in the Division of Geriatrics at the University
of Alberta, and the director of the Clinical Dementia Trials Unit at Glenrose
Rehabilitation Hospital, both in Edmonton. She is also a geriatrician with the Northern
Alberta Regional Geriatrics Program at the University of Alberta Hospital site. Since
April 2009, Dr. Juby has been the president of the Canadian Geriatrics Society.
Please tell us a bit about your journey to becoming a geriatrician.
I graduated from the University of Zimbabwe, and did postgraduate training there in
Pathology and Internal Medicine before moving to the UK to continue studying
Internal Medicine. Moving to Alberta in 1988 required repeating my internship; following
that, my year of hematological pathology reinforced my desire to return to
clinical medicine. I completed the prerequisite 2nd year in Alberta with a goal to
working in ER as I was, by that time, a new parent. During my 2nd year I was fortunate
enough to hear a dynamic presentation from Dr. Peter McCracken. His enthusiasm for geriatrics was
infectious, and I immediately decided to add a geriatrics rotation to my 2nd year. I had the privilege of working
with Dr. McCracken, Dr. Paul McGann, and Dr. Mike Robson. During the rotation it became rapidly apparent
that I had found my niche in Canadian medicine. The holistic care reminded me of my General Internal
Medicine training in Africa. I joined the Division of Geriatrics in January 1993 and have been part of the
Geriatric Assessment Team at the University of Alberta Hospital ever since. I have also been fortunate to have
been able to pursue both clinical research and drug trial research during this time.
What are some of your personal interests and hobbies?
As a part-timer I have been lucky enough to both work and pursue other activities. These include parenting
two children, learning to play the clarinet, and ultimately achieving my black belt in Wado-kai Karate.
Anything else that youd like to share with our readers?
Being a geriatrician continues to be a most rewarding career choice. I meet the most fascinating people
with wonderfully interesting and moving life stories. On a daily basis I witness the strength of the human
spirit and incredible enduring love between spouses and within families. To be able to intervene and provide
help and support in such rich lives is a privilege that I never take for granted.
By far, we have the best job in medicine! The intellectual stimulation and challenge is unmatched and
always changing so that no day is ever the same—no two Alzheimer’s disease patients are alike. It is
never boring because of the complexity of medical, cognitive, functional, and social issues we manage on
a daily basis. It is not an easy job—it is emotionally demanding and continually challenges me to be a
better physician and better individual—but the best things in life are the things we have to work for. I
thank my lucky stars for the day I met Dr. McCracken!
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 Dr. Kenneth Madden
What is your current position and geographical location?
I am currently an assistant professor of geriatric medicine at the University of
British Columbia. Clinically I manage the Acute Care for Elders Unit at Vancouver
General Hospital, where I practice both geriatric medicine and internal medicine.
My main research interest is the effect of aging and disease on cardiovascular physiology,
specifically fainting in older adults, and the use of exercise interventions to
improve cardiovascular health in older adults with type 2 diabetes. I am currently
in the middle of a CIHR-funded study examining the ability of a home-based walking
program to improve arterial stiffness in adults at very high cardiovascular risk
(older age, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia). Work from
this project was recently featured as the sixth most-read article in the field of geriatric
medicine in the American College of Physicians (ACP) Journal Club “Hit
Parade.” I am also involved in projects examining possible treatments and mechanisms
underlying postprandial hypotension, and the effects of sedentary lifestyle on patients with the
metabolic syndrome.
What does the future hold for geriatrics in Canada?
I think the future of geriatrics in Canada depends on the recruitment of a critical mass of people and the
ability to move to the next stage of the profession’s evolution. The beginnings of geriatrics in Canada primarily
centered on a strong patient advocacy role, which was essential for the establishment of geriatrics as
a profession. I personally believe we now need to move beyond this. The model of geriatric medicine in
Vancouver involves a strong connection with the Clinical Teaching Units, with most of the geriatricians in
Vancouver working as attending physicians. This, combined with the Acute Care for Elders Model, allows
geriatrics to be front-and-centre in the acute care hospital, as opposed to being pushed to the periphery,
and allows geriatricians to emphasize that we have a knowledge base that no one else has in terms of a
particularly challenging and vulnerable patient population. This more visible approach to the practice (as far
as acute care is concerned) allows one to make more of an impact and also makes it easier to recruit fellows.
Geriatric medicine is intellectually rewarding, has a limitless research potential, and is probably the
most versatile subspecialty in internal medicine (which I make sure I tell residents almost constantly). If we
stress our strengths and specialized clinical expertise, our discipline can only become more effective.
What are some of your personal interests and hobbies?
Unfortunately I am a West-Coast cliché and enjoy numerous outdoor activities, including running, mountain
biking, snowboarding, and triathlons. My 6-year old daughter and I just recently got our orange
belts in Tae Kwon Do (I want her to get a black belt before she discovers that boys aren’t gross).
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 Dr. Howard Bergman
What is your current position and geographical location?
I am presently vice-president and scientific director of the Fonds de la recherche en
santé du Québec (FRSQ), which is the Quebec health research funding organization.
The FRSQ distributes approximately one hundred million dollars per year in grants
and awards. It is basically Quebec’s equivalent of the CIHR. I still maintain my appointment
at McGill University and the Jewish General Hospital as the Dr. Joseph Kaufmann
professor in geriatric medicine and professor in the Departments of Medicine, Family
Medicine, and Oncology. I also maintain research activities in the McGill
University/Université de Montréal Solidage Research Group on Frailty and Aging based
at the Lady Davis Institute of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal.
What encouraged you to choose this particular career path?
There are many factors that come into play in choosing a career. Geriatric medicine and care for older persons
in general represented for me an exciting challenge from all aspects of a career in medicine: there were
so many opportunities in the clinical, research, management, as well as health services and policy arenas. My
career in geriatric medicine has opened all of these exciting perspectives for me.
Tell us about what you think is the future of geriatrics in Canada.
Geriatric medicine and care of older adults have an exciting future. Older adults, from the very healthy to
those with severe disability, occupy an increasingly important place in all of the aspects of our health care
system, including in the acute care hospital. Older adults are undergoing increasingly complex medical
and surgical interventions. Geriatric medicine is uniquely positioned with its understanding of aging,
health, function, and chronic disease to contribute not only to the care of older persons throughout the
spectrum of the healthcare system and throughout the spectrum of well to dependant, but also to
redesigning organization and models of care in the community and the hospital.
What personal interests do you pursue?
I enjoy reading both mystery novels, in particular by British authors, and more “serious” literature by
authors such as Philip Roth. I travel a lot (too much) for work, but enjoyed vacation travel to Vietnam as
well as to the Southwest USA (the Four Corners) in recent years. I think about exercising more than I
actually exercise, but play some golf and tennis.
Let us know anything else that is worth mentioning!
I am a past president of the Canadian Geriatrics Society. It was a very great honour for me to receive
from the CGS the Dr. Ronald Cape Distinguished Service award in 2009.
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 Dr. Michael Gordon
What is your current position?
I am the Medical Program Director of Palliative Care and Director of the
Medical Ethics Program at Baycrest Geriatric Health Care System, and Former
Vice President of Medical Services and Head of Geriatrics and Internal Medicine
at Baycrest, and Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto.
Could you describe why you chose this particular career path?
I never planned to be a geriatrician. Perhaps my maternal grandmother, a seamstress
who helped raise me, was my greatest influence. I was trained as an internist
and because of the vagaries of my life, moved from one country to another. I grew
up in the United States, completed medical school at the University of St. Andrews
in Scotland, did some postgraduate training in Scotland and Israel, and then
returned to Boston for further postgraduate training in internal medicine. I moved to Montreal for one
year in 1968 for further medical training at the Royal Victoria Hospital and then immigrated to Israel in
1969 where I did two years of Internal Medicine Training as well as service in the Israeli Air Force. I came
to Toronto in 1973 for Nuclear Medicine training but moved back into Internal Medicine in 1975 where,
through my good fortune, I was appointed chief resident at Mt. Sinai Hospital with an association with
Baycrest. The rest is historymy appointment after completion of my Internal Medicine Fellowship was
at Mt. Sinai and Baycrest, and five years later after intensive lobbying by a number of us the Geriatric
Specialty was established by the Royal College, and I completed my examinations and received my certificate
of Geriatric Medicine. Since that time I have focused on Geriatric Medicine development and the
training of health care professionals, students, and physicians and developed my interest and practice
and teaching in medical ethics. It has been a great and satisfying career.
What personal interests or hobbies do you create time for?
My main personal interest is writing and photography. I have authored many articles for the professional
and lay press and a number of books on aging directed to the lay public. I have recently published a
memoir, Brooklyn Beginnings—A Geriatricians Odyssey. A summary of my professional activities and
writings, and references to my books is found on my website: http://www.drmichaelgordon.com/
Anything else?
I love to travel and teach health care professionals, especially young physicians about geriatrics and
ethics, and keep close personal and professional ties in Scotland, where I studied medicine, and
Israel, where I lived and trained.
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 Dr. Roger Wong, BMSc, MD, FRCPC, FACP, Assistant Dean, Faculty of Medicine,
UBC; Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Program Director, Department
of Medicine; Associate Medical Director, Medical Services; Head, Geriatric
Consultation Program, Vancouver Acute, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority,
Vancouver, BC.
Dr. Wong received his medical degree and completed postgraduate training at
the University of Alberta. He founded the state-of-the-art Acute Care for Elders
Units (ACE) in Vancouver Acute, which has been implemented nationally and
internationally. His clinical research focuses on hospital medicine in vulnerable
older adults, including quality improvement in acute care geriatrics. Dr.Wong
is currently Vice President of the Canadian Geriatrics Society.
Why did you choose to become a Geriatrician?
The career choice of becoming a specialist in Geriatric Medicine allows me the opportunity to advocate for
seniors who are often under-served in terms of receiving the best possible health services. Each older person
comes with her/his own fascinating life story, and the interplay of these stories and their health needs create
unique opportunities for health advocacy. Geriatricians are well trained and equipped with different tools
to make a real difference by embracing and managing such complexity. Geriatricians are definitely team players,
and we empower and engage inter-professional teams to provide evidence-based best practices to seniors.
Geriatricians are versatile and well positioned to assume a variety of roles that impact our health systems
and society at large. For instance, I enjoy being a specialist doctor who focuses on seniors, the Assistant Dean
at my university, the Associate Medical Director at my hospital and health region, and an active community
leader in volunteer activities serving seniors. The career in Geriatric Medicine has opened up doors and avenues
resulting in exciting life experiences that would not be possible otherwise.
You’ve been recognized for your work as an educator.
Nationally geriatricians are well recognized as strong teachers and medical educators. As a geriatrician, I am
pleased to be the winner of a couple of prestigious teaching awards, the Killam Teaching Prize from UBC,
and the Donald Richards Wilson Award from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Despite your busy professional commitments, what personal interests do you make time to pursue?
World music; swimming. I also enjoy meeting with young people who have an interest in pursuing a medical
career, as well as serving as an advisor to a high school debating team.
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