Dr. Eric Paetkau, author of The Doc’s Side: Tales of a Sunshine Coast Doctor, talks about the six whys of his 50-year medical career on the Sunshine Coast — the last of which is ‘why write a book?’
His presentation is the free, annual Clifford Smith Memorial lecture presented by the ElderU of Capilano University Sunshine Coast continuing studies and executive education department.
Sponsored by the Sunshine Coast Credit Union, the free talk takes place on Saturday, Sept. 27, at Chatelech Secondary School in Sechelt at 2 p.m.
After graduating from the University of Saskatchewan’s first medical class, Paetkau arrived at St. Mary’s Hospital in Pender Harbour in 1959. This was still the frontier age of medicine in British Columbia and he soon found himself travelling by boat and seaplane to patients in remote homes and logging camps. Not only were his skills as a doctor and surgeon in demand, but he could also find himself acting as veterinarian and dentist. He wrote of his many harrowing and humorous experiences in The Doc’s Side and will be sharing some of them at the lecture.
Assistance for this program is provided by School District No. 46 and the Sechelt Public Library.
Smith was a former superintendent for School District No. 46, a former chair of ElderU and a passionate advocate of life-long learning.
