May 5, 2023
Saskatoon physician Dr. Annette Epp elected SMA president
Dr. Annette Epp, a gynecologist from Saskatoon, was elected president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA) on Friday, May 5, during the 2023 Spring Representative Assembly (RA), held at Saskatoon’s Sheraton Cavalier.
Dr. Epp becomes the 57th president of the SMA. She succeeds Dr. John Gjevre, a Saskatoon respirologist, and will serve a one-year term.
One of her priorities is to improve working conditions for family doctors, by shifting toward family physician-led, team-based care in the community, and changing the way family doctors are paid.
“The foundation of our system is primary care,” said Dr. Epp. “Nation wide, it is recognized that historic practice plans and the compensation models in place are no longer working. They do not serve patients or physicians well and need to change. Our province must invest in the building blocks to fix what is broken with primary care.”
Dr. Epp also wants to foster mutual respect and collegiality within the medical profession, despite the pressures new and established doctors face daily — including rising overhead costs, increasing demand to serve more patients, and long wait lists.
“We need to value each other and work together,” said Dr. Epp. “Younger generations need the wisdom of lessons learned by the older generations and in turn we need to encourage the enthusiasm, energy and new ideas that new generations can offer.”
Dr. Epp is a practising gynecologist in Saskatoon. She is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan medical school and has been in practice for over 25 years. Besides serving as a member of the SMA Board of Directors, she has held several leadership positions in the past including the Department Head/Area Lead for Gynecology for Saskatoon and the Acting Provincial Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Epp holds the Certified Canadian Physician Executive designation and is interested in ongoing education in the area of physician leadership. She participates in the education of medical students and residents and is active in community projects that focus on poverty and homelessness.
The 2023 Spring RA also featured addresses from Health Minister Paul Merriman and Everett Hindley, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health, followed by a question-and-answer session with delegates.
Canadian Medical Association president Dr. Alika Lafontaine presented CMA honorary memberships to four Saskatchewan physicians: Dr. Peter Kapusta, Dr. Barb Konstantynowicz, Dr. Stan Oleksinski, and Dr. Karen Shaw.

We need to value each other and work together. Younger generations need the wisdom of lessons learned by the older generations and in turn we need to encourage the enthusiasm, energy and new ideas that new generations can offer.
Dr. Annette Epp, SMA president

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