Congrats to Aaron, Cam, and the VGH ED med team!

They’re Best Work Buddies (BWBs) and they’re this week’s BWB Contest winners. Each group of winners has won a $10 coffee card and, along with everyone else who’s submitted a photo so far, they’ll be entered in the draw for the Grand Prize — a 1-hour private photo shoot with a professional photographer.

Vancouver’s BWB Contest is for everyone who calls one (or more) coworkers a best work friend. All Vancouver Community of Care physicians, staff and LMC colleagues working in partnership with us are welcome to participate — and the more you participate, the more chances you have to win. Please note that September 16 is the last day we’re accepting entries.

For full contest details, refer to VCH News here.

For all photos submitted to date, visit our Vancouver Best Work Buddies Flickr site.

BWB week 7 winners

Aaron and Cam

Where do you work?

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre

How did you meet?

“Cam and I started medical school in 2008, but in the first few years, we only said a handful of words to one another, as we just weren’t in the same circle of friends.  It wasn’t until we discovered that we were both applying for residency positions in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, that we became friends, around 2011.  In 2012, we were the two residents who matched to the program here at UBC (only 2 per year).  Thus, we have become incredibly great friends, as we only have each other to lean on during our five-year residency.”

What do you admire most about each other?

Cam about Aaron: “Aaron is the most thoughtful person I’ve ever met, and is such a loyal and dedicated friend.  This is not just to me, but based on general observations with others as well.”

Aaron about Cam: “Cam is one of the nicest and supportive people one could ever meet; that’s a given.  One thing I admire about him, is his ability to inspire others, myself included, to stay active and remain fit, which is huge part of our work as Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation residents.”

VGH ED med team

Bottom row (l to r): Alexia Simeoni, Alex Cook, Gert Lee, Veronica Tsang, Carrie Sales, Wesley Jang. Middle row (l to r): Ian Finglar, Eunice Villamayor, Jean Powers, Erin Collis, Liz Crane, Angela Lau. Top row (l to r): Allan Lai, Lori Quinn, Krista Golden, Anthony Malig.

Where do you work?

Our team consists of 15 Registered Nurses and a physician from VGH Emergency.

How did you meet?

We met each other while working at  the various departments at VGH throughout the years. Fifteen of us are still  presently working in the VGH Emergency.

What do you admire most about each other?

“What impresses me the most about my colleagues, is that they unselfishly give up their of time to volunteer their expertise and knowledge at a event that could potentially result in a large number of high acuity injuries. Year after year when I put the call out for medical volunteers, my fears are alleviated as the majority of the volunteers are from our very own VGH Emergency Department. Unknown to the Medical Volunteers at that time, the producers and cameral crew from Knowledge Network Series Life and Death in the ER were on site to film for the upcoming series. I am very proud to be working along my wonderful colleagues who give so much of themselves. I am grateful for who they are and all that they do on a daily basis. The gift of time is one of the most unselfish things that a person can give!”

Editor’s Note:

Due to our enthusiasm and the sheer volume of submissions, we mistakenly included entries from outside Vancouver this week. In fairness to our Vancouver colleagues, we threw their names in the hat again and the winners we celebrate here are our official Week 7 BWB winners. We would like to remind all VCH employees that this particular contest is open to Vancouver physicians,  staff and LMC colleagues. But do not despair our non-Vancouver CoC friends, our  VCH president and CEO wants to hear from you too! Mary Ackenhusen’s most recent blog invites you to post photos and share stories of your work buddy colleagues, as well as read about others. She has even organized a contest to win coffee cards too! Now we can all celebrate friendship in the workplace, wherever you may be!