The second feature of our double feature: We are proud to highlight Dr. Jessica Otte, an exceptional member of our faculty who continues to inspire and shape the next generation of scholars. Dr. Otte brings a wealth of knowledge, dedication, and innovation to her work. Discover more about Dr. Otte’s favourite things below and her best piece of advice for new physicians.
1. Site(s):
Nanaimo (Island Health)
2. Best part about your job:
Time to think and connect deeply. I am a slow doctor, who loves the details (of the person, and of the evidence) so it is a privilege to have found an area of medicine in which there is time and in which technical resource constraints are less distressing. Our most critical intervention – time to care – is more abundant than in other fields. I also really enjoy having the time to challenge assumptions and traditions around medical interventions and ask “why do we do it this way?” or “is this really a good idea for this patient?” – and to drag learners along with me on the quest for answers!
3. Favourite song:
Although you’d think from my listening history that it is “Rebecca Recycles” or “Dylan the Dumper Truck,” when my toddler isn’t picking, I try to find new tracks. The latest discovery is : ”Broken Belief” by Bob Moses, which sounds like Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails had a baby, and that baby continues to provide scathing social commentary in a catchy musical format.
4. Favourite past-time activity:
Gardening. It’s productive, it’s messy, it never turns out the same way twice, and my kids are sometimes willing to help me. Maybe self-sufficiency is a romantic ideal, but it feels all the more important to go back to basics in times of uncertainty.
5. Favourite restaurant in your community:
My dad’s pancakes/my mom’s croissants at the house next door! It’s by invitation only, though.
6. Favourite travel destination:
So far, the Galapagos. You have to be careful to avoid tripping over creatures, they are so plentiful and strange looking and not worried about predators. Incredible! But my favourite place is usually ’the next one’ and I hope that will be camping at Juan de Fuca or chasing fireflies in Japan or learning about penguins in Antarctica with my bird-nerd husband and boys or eating our way around Italy…
7. A book or article you would recommend:
Book: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, especially for anyone who doesn’t think Science Fiction is a noble genre. For an article: Heath I, Montori V M. Responding to the crisis of care. BMJ 2023; 380: p464 doi:10.1136/bmj.p464.
8. What are you creating in the world right now?
Questions, always more questions than answers! Right now I am wondering if the best contribution a clinician like myself could make to society would be to teach others to ask good questions too. For example, would it improve our future world if we decided to devote some energy to teaching kids, patients, the public to distinguish between reliable and unreliable health (or economic, or environmental, etc) claims?
9. Best piece of advice for new physicians:
Work with people who have similar values to you, including some inspiring peers that will foster your continued growth. If you don’t feel like you really lucked out to work with the people around you, it’s probably not sustainable.
Dr. Otte kayaking with her toddler and dog
Dr. Otte’s amazing garden
Dr. Otte with a turtle