Dr. Roland "Rollie" Genge

The first question I asked him was where the story of Rollie Genge began. Turns out he was born and grew up on Bonavista Bay in Newfoundland. He graduated high school there, then went to Memorial University in St. John's. As there was no medical school in Newfoundland at the time the Newfoundland government in a bit of enlightenment, paid him to attend Dalhousie Medical school with the proviso he return home to work in Newfoundland. He did just that, graduating in 1970. He packed his bags and headed back to the homeland. Dr. Genge feels that had our governments tried this approach many years ago, we might not be in the crisis we are now. He pulled no punches in saying we are definitely in a health care crisis and everyone and no one has the answer.

 

His first four years of practise was in Stephenville. Personal circumstances dictated a move and he came to Nova Scotia to find employment.

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Surprisingly to me he said jobs were not all that plentiful. We tend to think the "good old days" were the days of "milk and honey" but apparently not. He got off the coastal ship and started looking for work. His first stop was in Arichat but this was not quite what he wanted. Cape Breton appealed to him so that he would not be too far from the old homestead and what he left behind. The ties that bind are always present if you are a Cape Bretoner or Newfoundlander. Rollie was no exception.

 

It was at this point that good fortune intervened. Dr. Chow had returned from Maine and wanted to expand his practise. Rollie visited with Dr. Chow, stayed overnight, and decided that Baddeck would be the place for he and Carolyn to settle down and raise a family. And they did, raising six children, four from first marriages and two from their union. He joined Dr. Chow in 1975 and thus far has practised medicine for 48 years here. The move looks permanent.

 

After 52 years in family practise, he has no regrets. He briefly toyed with the idea of going on and becoming a specialist but four or five more years in studies changed his mind. He said he still does minor surgeries but that is the extent of any specialized medicine.

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The good doctor has seen a lot of changes in his many years of practise and sees both good and bad things over the years. He marvels now that so much of surgery can be done via laparoscopy rather than the good old days of "Lets cut him open and see what we've got". On the down side he misses the easy familiarity of being able to call a surgeon for help, rather than fill out form 5.2 and send it in. He misses the dinners where all the doctors and spouses got together to share war stories and good times. He misses that and notes the irony that in the age of improved communication, everyone is more isolated.

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When I asked him if he was comfortable how this hospital and other hospitals are going he answered in an indirect way. "Over my 52 years, I worked 6500 nights 6500! getting what needed to be done, done. In the old days I might spend the whole night in ER and if no one showed up I didn't get paid. It was the patient that came first, all other things next."

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When asked what his plans for retirement are, he said he has not yet drawn a line in the sand. He is fortunate to still have the energy to do the job and still loves what he does. "I still enjoy helping someone in need at the end of the day. That is what makes it all worthwhile."

 

He enjoys coming to work and the Victoria County hospital is lucky to have him show up every day for that work. We should all be so lucky to say we love what we do, still enjoy coming to work and every day brings some kind of satisfaction.

 

Thank you, Dr. Genge