Dr. Paul Murphy
Cape Breton University is pleased to honour Dr. Paul Murphy for his dedication to his patients and to his community. Dr. Murphy has been practicing medicine since 1975 after graduating from Dalhousie University in 1974. He started his career in his home province of Newfoundland and practiced in a small outport, where he honed his listening skills, deciphering the strong Irish brogue. Dr. Murphy had clinics in two small towns, and in even smaller communities the clinics were in the patients’ living rooms, with next-door neighbours acting as receptionist. Occasionally he was even called upon to treat animals.
Dr. Murphy then moved to St. John’s and served as Casualty Officer (now referred to as ER physicians) in the General Hospital Emergency Department. In 1977, he moved to Sydney and assumed the practice of Dr. Gerald Readon.
A highlight in his medical career has been his involvement in obstetrical care. Dr. Murphy estimates he delivered close to 2,000 babies. A significant number of those babies are doctors themselves.
Dr. Murphy became interested and involved in the Dalhousie Teaching program, first arranging continuing education sessions for the local family doctors and then as a teacher and preceptor in the Dalhousie Family Medicine program. He was one of the first physicians to sponsor and train International Medical graduates and was involved in the Clinical Assessment of Practice program with the Nova Scotia College of Physicians and Surgeons.
When he was Chief of the Department of Family Practice, Dr. Murphy organized a teaching session in conjunction with CBU to teach the local physicians an introduction to the use of computer technology in medicine.
He has been respected by his colleagues and patients for his dedication to patient care and medical education. Dr. Murphy has been given several awards by Dalhousie University and has received the Queen Elizabeth 2nd Diamond Jubilee award in 2012 for his teaching efforts with international students.
Outside of his medical career, Dr. Murphy has had varied interests. He has run six marathons and was one of the original organizers of the now well-established Fiddlers Run and has never missed the Doctors Nova Scotia Youth run. Dr. Murphy helped Cardiologist Dr. Paul MacDonald in a small research study by wearing a holter monitor the entire 42 kilometers in one of the Fiddlers Runs.
Dr. Murphy has made it a practice of getting the majority of his residents in Family Medicine to do a woodwork project during their rotation with him. All found this a very rewarding experience, making things like wood pens, reflex hammers, bowls, cutting boards and small novelty boxes. Many of his past learners keep in touch because of these experiences.
Dr. Murphy has also dabbled in darkroom photography and writing children’s stories.
Cape Breton University is proud to provide Dr. Paul Murphy with the Healthcare Award of Distinction and thank him sincerely for his outstanding contribution to his patients and to his community.