N.B.’s Dr. Prystupa recognized with national award

Prystupa was nominated by his entire group of resident doctors in the North West program. Since he took over as site director, the resident doctors have noticed a positive change within their program, which has made a difference in their learning. Prystupa is described as “engaging, encouraging and kind, with a passion for mentorship. He has gone out of his way to include equity, diversity, inclusion and reconciliation into his teaching, particularly in regards to helping his residents better understand the effects of intergenerational trauma on Indigenous populations.”

Prystupa said making efforts toward reconciliation is important to him in his work.

“Specifically, in our community, we have a diverse group of people. But certainly, the Indigenous group of people, sometimes they have had a history where they have some mistrust of the medical community,” he told battlefordsNOW. “Even things just like getting access to care can be difficult. So, teaching our residents about some of the past, and also bridging the gaps now that are present, where getting a little more understanding will help treat those groups of people better down the road. It will really benefit the residents [resident doctors] going forward, and the community as a whole.”

Prystupa noted that trying different ways of teaching hopefully “improves everybody’s care” in the long run.

In his work to promote inclusion and understanding, and advance reconciliation, he organized a trip to The Ridge, south of Battleford, at the location where the former residential school site used to be.

“We had a field trip out there,” Prystupa said. “And, I’m presently working on setting up a [resident doctor] run clinic on one of the reservations outside of town, and some other activities as well.”

Some other work he’s been involved with includes having a new palliative-care rotation that was implemented this year.

As site director for the North West of Saskatchewan Family Medicine Residency Program, Prystupa’s area covers North Battleford as the hub and the surrounding areas, such as Meadow Lake, and Unity.

Prystupa is also a family doctor at the North Battleford Medical Clinic. Born and raised in the Battlefords, he has also been working in North Battleford as a physician since 2006. Prystupa has been involved in the residency program since it started here in 2013.

RDoC Award recipients were also announced for the categories of Resident Wellness – Dr. Elisabeth Doyon (staff) and Dr. Yasmim Nasirzadeh (resident doctor); and Service to Resident Doctors – Leah Chomyshen (staff).

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow

by Angela Brown

N.B.’s Dr. Prystupa recognized with national award

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