Clinical Spotlight: Dr. Catherine Haskins
1. Tell us who you are in one sentence?
I am a family doctor and manager who is part therapist, part mentor, part life coach, part teacher for my patients, medical students and staff.
2. Do you have any specific interest in your field?
Yes, I have an expertise in primary care of eating disorders in youth.
3. Have you witnessed an impact from social media on your patients and their body image?
Yes, this impact has been noted for decades, beginning with print media, and has been amplified with the growing use of smart phones at younger and younger ages and the explosive growth in use of social media.
4. Did you always want to be a doctor when you were young?
No, as a child I read a lot of books about horses and thought that I wanted to be a jockey. I was actually studying occupational therapy (OT) at the University of Toronto when I decided to apply to medicine. Those years of study in OT help me approach patients with a very holistic perspective of work-play balance and the importance of occupation (read vocation or sense of purpose) in people’s lives.
5. What motivates you most in your work?
The most stimulating parts of my work are when a patient is starting to make changes toward recovery from their eating disorder or associated mental health issues, when I am discussing new ideas with colleagues, and when I am working with other managers to make improvements in our clinic or programs.
6. Chai latte or pumpkin spice latte?
Neither. It would be a decaf mocha latte or my nephew’s home brewed latte.
Catherine Haskins, MD
Head Chief, Centre local de services communautaires (CLSC) Programs
Montreal West Island IUHSSC, Department of Family Medicine