My name is Schalk Van der Merwe, I am a full-time family physician in Moosomin, Saskatchewan. I have been married to my wife, Henriette for 29 years and we have 2 children. My wife and I came to Canada in September of 1998 with 4-month plan. I started my career in Family Medicine in Canada in REDVERS, Saskatchewan, where I worked from September 1998 to December 31, 1998. I met 1 of my colleagues, Dr. Ettiene Crouse, at a CME event and he invited me to come work in Moosomin after my time was done in REDVERS. I have been privileged to work in Moosomin
since January 2, 1999, till current.
I work in Moosomin Saskatchewan with my 12 colleagues at the Moosomin Family Practice Center and I have privileges to work at Southeast Integrated Care Center (Moosomin Hospital). A 28 bed Acute Care Facility with 54 Long Term Care beds. We provide inpatient care, surgical care, emergency room care, nursing home care, obstetrical care, chemotherapy outreach Center for the Allan Blair Cancer Center.
I was born in Upington, South Africa, the 4th of 5 children, 3 brothers and 1 sister. I grew up on a farm 60 km from Upington and my family ran a Butchery in Upington. My early years were spent carefree on the farm and helping in my family’s Butchery. We moved to Botswana in 1983 where my parents did missionary work for the next 5 years at Mochudi Mission Station. I have very fond memories of living in Botswana. My High School years were spent in Zeerust, South Africa where I lived with my youngest brother in a house while my parents were doing missionary work.
Growing up in South Africa the major sport was rugby, and I was fortunate to play rugby throughout my school career. I also did athletics throughout my school career and was fortunate to represent my province in both rugby and athletics while going to school. In my grade 10 year we had to do a project or about what we wanted to do when
we were done school, and I thought becoming a doctor would be pretty cool. My initial thought was to
become a heart transplant surgeon. In January 1989 I started my Medical Training at the University of the Orange Free State in Bloemfontein, Universitas and Pelonomi Academic Hospitals South Africa. In South Africa all physicians
get trained as family physicians before specializing. I graduated as family physician in November of 1995 and started my internship at the Kroonstad and Boitumelo Hospital Complex in Kroonstad, South Africa in December of 1995.
After responding to a newspaper advertisements for a locum position in family medicine in REDVERS, Saskatchewan we moved to REDVERS in September 1998 then the to Moosomin in January 1999I have been very fortunate to work in Moosomin for the past 25 years. I have provided full-service Family Medicine and Cradle to Grave care to my patients. While working in Moosomin I had the opportunity to help establish the Moosomin Chemotherapy Outreach Center as part of an initiative by the Allan Blair Cancer Center. The Chemotherapy Centre currently delivers between 450 and 500 chemotherapy treatments per year to the community of Moosomin and surrounding areas.
I am also very thankful to have had the opportunity to establish the MOREOB program (MOREOB is nationally accredited program for obstetrical care) at SEICC; Moosomin Hospital. At the time of establishing this program it was only Regina General Hospital and Moosomin Hospital that had this program in Saskatchewan. While working in Moosomin I became very interested in palliative care and have been providing palliative care for the past 20 years as well. I am also very fortunate to be the Palliative Care Physician for Southeast Networks 1 through 5 in South East Saskatchewan. I became very interested in addictions medicine in the past 5 years are currently providing addictions medicine services and OAT therapy as part of my Family Medicine Practice. My passion for leadership also has been satisfied through becoming the Area Division Lead in the Saskatchewan Health Authority for Network 7 South East and currently sharing the Area Chief of Staff position for Southeast Saskatchewan in the Saskatchewan Health authority