Female physicians, midwives, dentists and nurse practitioners are a vital part of the care, expertise and leadership that strengthen our health system and shape better outcomes for our patients and communities. Their impact is growing, in leadership practice and training.
Within Fraser Health, women make up more than half of Physician Quality Improvement (PQI)’s latest cohort and currently lead eight projects, while women represent more than 55 per cent of UBC medical students.
One of those leaders is Dr. Marietta Van Den Berg, a psychiatrist and the site medical director for Surrey Memorial Hospital. In recognition of International Women’s Day on March 8, she shared with the Medical Staff Bulletin about what it means to be clear, caring, and courageous, and advice she has for other women on their leadership journey.
Why did you want to go into a leadership role?
“As a young physician in the military, I was allocated to a ward in my hospital that cared for many patients without hope. People who were severely disabled, or lived with incurable illnesses, or could not go home due to psychosocial reasons. I felt overwhelmed and often didn’t know what the correct response was, or the correct course of action was. The nurse in charge quietly helped me, she taught me how to know if someone had died, how to listen carefully, to talk to families, to focus on what matters. When she walked into a patient’s room everyone exhaled, the relief in the room was a real thing. She made everyone feel safe, feel seen and heard. She is still my friend, and I can truly say I learned the art of medicine from her. I want to be that person. I want to be the person who is wise, calm and grounded and helps people feel safe when I walk into a room.”
What advice would you give to aspiring female medical leaders?
“Find a mantra that you can hold onto. Something doable. Something that resonates with your values like, ‘I am going to make a positive difference to one person today,’ or, ‘I am going to find the pause today, that moment between event and reaction in which I can choose how to show up. ‘Reach a little beyond what you think you are capable of. Know that you are fallible and will make mistakes, own them and grow. Make the medical world a little safer and more welcoming for our daughters and granddaughters, please.”
What aspects of the Clear, Caring and Courageous framework, including courses on supporting teams and conflict, have influenced your approach to leadership?
“I found the courses very challenging personally. I think I was defensive initially. However, it made me aware of how I show up in conversations in a manner that I did not realise previously. It taught me that clear is kind.”
Story from Fraser Health Medical Staff
