It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Dr. Jill McEwen. Jill served as an emergency physician at Vancouver General Hospital for over 37 years. During that time, she became well known for standing up and working tirelessly for what she believed in, and yet knowing how to find joy in life. She shared that joy with her family, friends and colleagues. Jill was a highly respected and compassionate emergency physician who dedicated her life to caring for others. On every shift, her decisions were guided by what was best for her patients. Her advocacy was exemplary. She inspired learners, colleagues and staff around her.
Jill was a dedicated educator, serving as Director, Undergraduate Education program for the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Department of Emergency Medicine for 35 years. She founded one of the first mandatory Emergency Medicine clerkships in Canada which received consistent stellar reviews from medical students. She was instrumental in distributing UBC’s Emergency Medicine clerkship rotation from a few teaching sites in Vancouver to sites across the province, enabling students to experience Emergency Medicine outside traditional academic sites. She contributed actively to UBC’s curriculum renewal and served as Assistant Dean for UBC’s MD Undergraduate Program from 2013-2016. She provided visionary guidance to the creation of the Vancouver Fraser Medical Program learning communities and was an instrumental member of its promotion committee, ensuring that medical students met their competencies prior to starting residency. She continued to actively contribute to UBC’s overall medical school curriculum as the Emergency Medicine representative. While advocating for medical education, she didn’t forget those who provide and support teaching and advocated for clinical Faculty as well as the administrative staff who support learners. Tens of thousands of medical students who are now in medical practice across Canada benefited from Jill’s visionary teaching innovations.
Jill was a member of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) for 38 years. She served as the Chair of CAEP’s national Emergency Medicine Undergraduate Education Committee and was key in developing consensus on Emergency Medicine clerkship competencies. She went on to serve on the CAEP Board of Directors and as CAEP President. Internationally, Jill served as the Canadian representative of the US National Board of Medical Examiners Task Force and gave invited lectures in Brazil and Grenada. In 2019, Jill was awarded with CAEP’s highest honour, the President’s Award for her contributions to our profession.
Outside of work, Jill was dedicated to family and friends. She loved telling us stories about her children, grandchildren, and about times at the cottage. They were her pride and joy. She gave welcome and sage parenting advice to many staff with younger kids, always putting experiences into context to help staff cope with the vagaries of being a parent and a physician. Some of the funniest stories we remember about Jill are how she encountered “unexpected” traffic in the Massey Tunnel, leading her to park her car in the police stall outside of the emergency department, with police officers afraid to ask her to move her car. Once, she even managed to park her boat in the ambulance bay. Nothing was unimaginable, and that was why it so much fun and such a privilege to be her colleague.
Jill, we miss you dearly.
