We are Women’s offers the WCH community a chance to get to know each other and share our stories. This week, we’re highlighting our incredible physicians in honour of Doctor’s Day on May 1.
Name: Tara O’Brien
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Title & Department: Medical Director of the Acute Ambulatory Care Unit, Department of Medicine
On the WCH team for: 18 years
1. What does your typical workday look like?
I do a combination of clinical work – I spend time seeing patients who have been referred for urgent medical problems from the Emergency Department or their Primary Care Practitioner, teaching and supervising learners and completing administrative activities including supervising activities in the AACU.
2. What excites you the most about working at WCH?
I love the culture at WCH – it is very collegial and inclusive. I also love that it is a hospital that supports innovation and looks for new ways of caring for patients.
3. How does your work contribute to creating a positive patient experience?
We see patients who are acutely unwell and are sent to us in the AACU instead of the Emergency Department. They are seen by the healthcare team and receive multiple investigations but in a quiet and comfortable environment. Patients overall describe high satisfaction with their care in the AACU.
4. What made you want to become a doctor?
I was very interested in the physiology of the human body and wanted to apply the knowledge to the care of patients.