Paul Farnan, MD, FCFP, CCFP (AM), FASAM, ABAM

Paul has worked in occupational health and addiction medicine for more than 25 years, acting as a consultant to assist health care organizations develop policies on complex disability management and substance abuse.

Paul is a clinical associate professor with the University of British Columbia’s Department of Family Practice and Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Health Sciences. He has been on the CMA Joule faculty since 2004. He was previously executive director of the Physician Health Program of British Columbia, where he focused on addressing conflict and the tensions that exist between clinical and administrative medicine. He is also past chair of the Canadian Physician Health Network and currently serves as one of BC’s elected representatives to the Canadian Medical Protective Association Council. 

A regular presenter at workshops and conferences, Paul is particularly interested in topics related to the resilience and sustainability of the health care workforce, including substance use issues and disruptive practitioner behaviours. While prevention is always the best approach, he also believes in the proactive development of consistent organizational approaches to all problem behaviours, guided by clear policy and timely management.