On April 29, the 黑料社 Department of Family Medicine hosted the annual Dr. Hirsh Rosenfeld Distinguished Public Lecture in Family Medicine, spotlighting a critical yet often overlooked facet of clinical care: the cultural interpretation of pain. Titled 鈥淭oo much pain, doctor!鈥�: Recognizing and Contextualizing Cultural Expressions of Pain, the event featured Isabelle Leblanc, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in 黑料社鈥檚 Department of Family Medicine and physician at St. Mary鈥檚 Family Medicine Centre. The event also marked the Department of Family Medicine鈥檚 50th anniversary, celebrating a half-century of leadership in primary care, research and community engagement.
Held both in person at the Department鈥檚 C么te-des-Neiges location and via Zoom, the lecture attracted a diverse audience of clinicians, students, researchers and community members. The event was a collaborative effort between the Department of Family Medicine, the St. Mary鈥檚 Research Centre and the St. James Literary Society.
Photo Credit: Owen Egan and Joni Dufour.
Marion Dove, MD, FCFP, Chair of the Department of Family Medicine, opened the evening with a land acknowledgement and a warm welcome. 鈥淧ain is something every family physician encounters daily. It鈥檚 complex, it鈥檚 deeply personal, and, too often, it is misunderstood or undertreated,鈥� said Dr. Dove. 鈥淎ddressing this challenge requires the kind of holistic, interdisciplinary approach that Family Medicine champions.鈥�
Najia Hachimi-Idrissi, MD, Associate President and Executive Director of CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'脦le-de-Montr茅al, also delivered insightful opening remarks, emphasizing the growing need for culturally sensitive approaches in healthcare delivery. She underscored the relevance of the evening鈥檚 theme to the broader mission of health equity across the CIUSSS network and warmly introduced Dr. Leblanc on behalf of the St. Mary鈥檚 Research centre.
Photo Credit: Owen Egan and Joni Dufour.
Drawing from her interdisciplinary background in anthropology and literature, Dr. Leblanc delved into how psychosocial suffering often manifests as bodily pain, a phenomenon that can be overlooked when cultural expressions are misinterpreted. She emphasized the importance of unraveling patients鈥� narratives to uncover the underlying causes of their pain, advocating for a more empathetic and culturally sensitive approach to diagnosis and treatment.
鈥淯nderstanding how expert family physicians recognize and manage psychosocial distress can enhance the detection, diagnosis and treatment of mental health challenges,鈥� said Dr. Leblanc. 鈥淭he key to contextualizing these expressions lies in unraveling the patient鈥檚 narrative and finding shared humanity.鈥�
The lecture underscored the necessity for clinicians to move beyond a purely biomedical model, encouraging the integration of cultural competence into medical practice. By recognizing the various ways patients express suffering 鈥� shaped by language, community, and identity 鈥� clinicians can respond with greater empathy and precision.
Photo Credit: Owen Egan and Joni Dufour.
Attendees engaged in a dynamic Q&A session, reflecting the community鈥檚 keen interest in enhancing cultural awareness within clinical settings. The event created a space for reflection and dialogue across disciplines, reinforcing the Department鈥檚 role in shaping thoughtful, human-centered healthcare.
The Dr. Hirsh Rosenfeld Distinguished Public Lecture in Family Medicine series continues to be a cornerstone of the Department鈥檚 commitment to addressing complex issues in Family Medicine through public engagement and scholarly discourse. This year鈥檚 focus on cultural expressions of pain aligns with broader efforts to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in healthcare.
For those who missed the live event, a recording is available on the Department鈥檚 YouTube channel: .
To see more events, please visit: /familymed/events
