Dr. Haiduk is Retiring!
written by Dr. Ryan Lunge
So, you’ve probably heard that Dr. Michael Haiduk is retiring this summer. I’ve had the great privilege of being one of his colleagues at the Kimberley Medical Clinic and I know that he will be missed by patients and colleagues alike.
As he hangs up his stethoscope, many of us will need to adjust to life in Kimberley without Dr. Haiduk as one of the pillars of our medical community.
Dr. Haiduk has practiced medicine for 38 years, almost the entirety of which he served proudly here in Kimberley. When I moved to town 7 years ago, it was immediately clear to me that Dr. Haiduk was an integral member of both the medical community and his community at large. He has committed himself to the practice of medicine to the utmost, and is an inspiration to my generation of physicians.
Dr. Haiduk was trained in medicine during an era when physicians were expected to sacrifice their personal lives for the pursuit of medicine. His long and illustrious career is testament that he has lived up to that expectation. While his commitment to his profession has been unwavering, he has remained a dedicated family man, been an active participant in community events, and is an avid outdoorsman. Dr. Haiduk’s work ethic is unrivaled. He is well known to spend long hours in the clinic, (usually well after it has closed) pouring over his patient’s charts, reading medical journals, and calling his patients to check in on them.
Dr. Haiduk has whole heartedly and unselfishly given himself to the practice of his craft. In 2014, he was awarded the BCCFP Award of Excellence for “Physician of the Year” . He humbly and quietly accepted this accolade, refusing any pomp or pageantry. Of course, none of his colleagues were surprised that he received this award, as few are more deserving. His sense of duty and obligation to serve the community have been unwavering. He lives and breathes the Hippocratic Oath; adhering to it’s ethical and moral principals vigorously. He expects the same of his his colleagues, and does so by leading through example.
On numerous occasions, he’s served as chief of staff of the hospital and Chair of the Kimberley Medical Clinic. Dr. Haiduk has always welcomed medical students and has been a dedicated teacher of the art of medicine. He’s received awards from the University of British Columbia in recognition of his teaching excellence.
In my opinion, Dr. Haiduk has embodied the true spirit of a Rural Family Physician. In his early career, he was one of a very small number of physicians in this community, required to practice all elements of the job from delivering babies, performing emergency surgeries, providing anesthetic support to his colleagues and manning the emergency room. In true rural fashion, he performed all of these duties with minimal supplies or back up support, and certainly no expectation of praise or reward.
Dr. Haiduk has a seemingly endless number of stories about his life in medicine. Many of these stories are humorous, portraying the lighter side of medicine. Others are harrowing and gruesome. He has stories of miraculous recoveries, and tragic outcomes. His tales demonstrate the physician’s unique experiences with life and death, and are inspiring examples of how a family doctor touches the lives of those around them. Undoubtedly, through his lengthy tenure as a physician, Dr. Haiduk has touched the lives of nearly every one in his community.
Although his colleagues are sorry to see him leave our clinic family, we all wish him the best as he enters the next phase of his life’s adventure. I know that he will tackle retirement with the same vigour and enthusiasm that he did for his medical career.
Thank you Dr. Haiduk for everything you have done for our community! We will miss you.