Research

Danielle Martin sees her campaign for improvement in Canada’s health care system as an integral part of being a family physician.

In 2006, just three years out of medical school, she was the  catalyst behind the group Canadian Doctors for Medicare. The now 1,600-strong association gives a voice to physicians committed to national public health care, while working for evidence-based improve-ments to the system.

Dr. Martin’s appointment to the Health Council of Canada four years ago gave her a bird’s eye view of the complexity of Medicare and barriers to change.  Meanwhile, clinical work feeds her commitment to high quality health care for all. Dr. Martin has an uncommonly busy schedule. In a typical eight-week cycle, she spends six weeks at Toronto’s Women’s College Hospital; two weeks providing health care in northern Ontario under the Rural Northern Initiative, and one day of every week at a community health centre, the Centre médico-social communautaire de Toronto.

“My patients bring me down to earth from meta level analysis.”

Danielle Martin— Lecturer, Department of Family and Community Medicine; Clinical Staff, Women’s College Hospital; Board Chair, Canadian Doctors for Medicare; Councillor, Health Council of Canada

Tags: Danielle Martin, Featured Researcher, Health