By Dr. Gbenga Adebayo
Physician Advocate, Workplace Wellbeing
Saskatchewan Medical Association

Today, on National Physicians’ Day, I take a moment to honour the remarkable individuals who carry the torch of healing across our dear province, not just as a colleague but as a community member.

To all physicians: Thank you for being the unwavering pillars of strength, compassion, and expertise that hold our health systems together. You are the heroes without capes, whose courage doesn’t come with fanfare or spotlight, but with humility, grit, and relentless service.

This year, I would like to dedicate this tribute to physicians working in rural communities who are often under-recognized, yet indispensable.

In rural settings, the role of a physician extends far beyond the clinic or hospital. You are community leaders, health educators, crisis responders, and confidants. You drive and fly hundreds of kilometres to reach patients, deliver babies in unpredictable conditions, navigate emergencies with limited support, and remain deeply embedded in the very fabric of the communities you serve. In places where specialist care is distant or nonexistent, you carry the weight of comprehensive medicine with incredible grace and skill.

To urban and regional colleagues who support rural practice through outreach, referrals, telehealth, and collaboration, thank you! Your partnership strengthens the bridge between rural and urban care and ensures that no patient is left behind, regardless of location.

Yet, while we celebrate the dedication of rural physicians, we must also speak truthfully about the systemic challenges that threaten the future of rural care. Rural physicians often work in professional isolation, without access to the same resources, support, or infrastructure as their urban counterparts. The burden is heavy, and it is unjust to expect superhuman performance without adequate investment.

Rural medicine deserves more than admiration — it deserves action. We must all advocate for better support, sustainable workforce models for rural doctors, and policies that prioritize the long-term viability of rural medical practice. If we value equity in health care, we must also value and protect those who make it possible in our most remote regions.

Thank you to every physician, whether in a bustling city hospital or a small rural clinic. Your work matters, and your sacrifices matter. Today, we honour not only what you do but who you are.

Happy National Physicians’ Day.