Local Peer Support Programs offer confidential, non-clinical, emotional support to physicians facing a range of work and life-related challenges. These programs are tailored to the specific needs of each physician community, and delivered by trained Peer Supporters who are fellow physicians, offering a unique understanding of the stresses and pressures faced by those in medicine.
Below you will find information about how to access peer support through each of these local physician organizations. If you are looking for peer support and are not a member of one of the organizations below, please contact PHP at info@physicianhealth.com and we will support you in finding peer support.
Prince George Medical Staff Association
The Prince George Physician Peer Support Program provides confidential, short-term, non-clinical emotional support conversations among Prince George physician colleagues who understand the unique stressors and challenges faced by physicians in their community. Make a request for peer support for yourself or a colleague using this link. For more information, please email PhysPeerSuppPG@outlook.com.
Vancouver Division of Family Practice
The Vancouver Division Peer Support Initiative provides 1:1 confidential, non-clinical support to family physician colleagues in the City of Vancouver by physician Peer Supporters. Make a request for peer support for yourself or a colleague using this link. Once you’ve reached out, a Peer Supporter will connect with you or your colleague within 2-3 days to schedule a conversation.
If you’d like to learn more about the Vancouver Division Peer Support Initiative, please visit their website.
Greater Victoria Area
The Greater Victoria Physician Peer Support Pilot Program offers short-term, one-on-one peer support to doctors across our region, regardless of specialty or practice location. Their seven local Peer Supporters are trained and available to listen to their colleagues and help guide through next steps. Requests for peer support can made through their web form, and their program can be contacted via peersupport@southislandmsa.ca.
If you’d like to learn more about the Greater Victoria Physician Peer Support Pilot Program, please visit their website.
Penticton Medical Staff Association
The Physician Peer Support Program at the Penticton Regional Hospital encourages an authentic human connection with another person who shares similar life experiences — in this case, the unique stressors and challenges faced by physicians. PRH Peer Supporters offer non-judgmental listening and non-clinical emotional support with life, work, and other issues. Their aim is to facilitate these confidential, non-clinical empathetic conversations between colleagues, where physicians feel safe to share the issues they are experiencing with someone trained to listen.
You can request Peer Support by choosing the type of Peer Support you are requesting and then fill out the online form. For any additional questions, please contact peersupport@phrmsa.ca.
If you’d like to learn more about the Physician Peer Support Program at the Penticton Regional Hospital, please visit their website.
Section of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
The Public Health and Preventive Medicine Peer Support Program is designed to provide short-term peer support for PHPM Physicians who face unique challenges and workplace stresses in their position and could benefit from support from colleagues to create positive impacts on their wellbeing and workplace experiences. The PHPM Peer Support Programs offers confidential, non-clinical emotional support to physician colleagues by trained physician peer supporters in a 1:1 setting. Physicians seeking peer support can expect up to three 15-45 minute sessions with their matched peer supporter. If additional support is needed beyond three sessions the peer support program will provide information on other resources that can be accessed.
To request peer support, please fill out the self referral form via the online form. Requesting support for a colleague can be done through this online form.
To learn more about the program and its peer supporters, please email PHPM.PeerSupport@phabc.org.
Learn more about these local peer support programs as part of the JCC-PHP Physician Peer Support Initiative.