Michael Allan

Auckland

Executive Producer at Newstalk ZB

Articles

Getting practical about the naive dreamers

1 week ago | cfp.ca | Michael Allan

The founders of the CFPC and the profession of family medicine in Canada were optimists, believers, and aspirational. The organization’s first purpose from incorporation in 1968 was to promote the highest quality of medical care for the people of Canada.1 Family medicine is the best of Canadian health care. But the profession—and its professional home—are at risk.
Family medicine: high standards and high value

1 month ago | cfp.ca | Michael Allan

What is the primary reason the CFPC exists? Setting and assuring the expectations of what it means to be a family physician. In a word: standards. The CFPC standards functions include accreditation of residency training programs, the Certification Examination in Family Medicine, awarding Certification in the College of Family Physicians of Canada and Certificates of Added Competence, as well as establishing certification and reporting expectations for professional development.
Direct to Plate Photogravure

1 month ago | onlandscape.co.uk | Michael Allan

After success with carbon ink printing by Cone Editions, I noticed they had a lot of photogravure classes and I was curious. How would photogravure compare to carbon ink? Does it look different? Would it get more attention? Is it more durable? So off I went to Vermont for a week to learn and make prints by etching steel plates, rubbing ink all over them, and then smashing them into paper. It sounded simple, but the devil was in the details.
The differences that unite us

2 months ago | cfp.ca | Michael Allan

Family medicine is an amazing discipline. The broad and extensive skill base allows for so many career options. Perhaps the greatest strength of the profession is that family medicine can be so many different things. Our challenge—our choice—is allowing those differences to be our strength or to lead to division and conflict. It’s possible that focusing on differences is part of human nature.
Not letting a broken system break us

Jan 22, 2025 | cfp.ca | Michael Allan

In my work, I am in a lot of meetings. I don’t say that to make you jealous; this is going somewhere. Some meetings are about health care resources and the physician shortage. In a few, I’ve been informed there is a serious shortage of family doctors, sometimes framed as a revelation. It’s like spending your entire career as a swimmer and being told water’s wet. There are a lot of data showing the shortage but for any of us in practice, we know this problem in our soul.
The breakdown on building up

Dec 5, 2024 | cfp.ca | Michael Allan

Most organizations and leaders talk about strategic priorities and plans. From the outside, sometimes it’s hard to tell if anything is really changing. For the College’s strategic priorities, I have some good and bad news. The good news: You will see things happen. The bad news: You will see things happen. Our first strategic priority is “Focus on core business.”1 A strategic priority is not typically about core functions of an organization, so why is this here?
Clarity in the centre of the storm

Oct 15, 2024 | cfp.ca | Michael Allan

This is my second column as your Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, but the first focusing on my new role. I know what you are thinking: “How bad are things at the College if they’ve hired Mike Allan?” I asked myself the same question! In truth, my hire is a reflection of our board’s commitment to members. The board requested nominations from you, the members, and targeted family physicians known to members.
JCT 2024’s approach to limiting contractor liability needs care

Sep 18, 2024 | pinsentmasons.com | Michael Allan

The Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) has been steadily releasing the 2024 update versions of its family of contracts. Major releases so far include the Design and Build (D&B), Standard, Intermediate and Minor Works contracts. Consistent with previous versions of its contracts, JCT has chosen again not to include a clause providing for an overall cap on the contractor’s liability, not even as an optional clause.
A keen, but slow, learner’s journey

Sep 13, 2024 | cfp.ca | Michael Allan

This is my first column as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the CFPC. In writing it, I considered talking about my new role or the state of the College, but that will come next month. Those things are important, but September is a time when formal recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada reminds each of us to pause and reflect on the experiences and histories of Indigenous communities in Canada.
The one movie Meryl Streep wished her mother could have seen

Sep 12, 2024 | faroutmagazine.co.uk | Michael Allan

Thu 12 September 2024 15:15, UK Meryl Streep is undeniably one of the silver screen’s greatest actors. Beloved by both critics and audiences, her unforgettable performances have solidified her place in cinematic history. Few can forget her devastating portrayal of a Holocaust survivor in Sophie’s Choice—a role that earned her her first Oscar—her iconic turn as the Anna Wintour-inspired Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, or her fierce embodiment of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.