Why I Chose Family Medicine: A Conversation with Dr. Maria Hubinette
Have you ever wondered what inspires someone to choose family medicine—a field defined by relationships, continuity of care, and compassion? For some, the path begins not with certainty, but with curiosity.
For Dr. Maria Hubinette, that curiosity began in a microbiology lab. After completing an undergraduate degree and working in a biotech startup developing a virus-based gene therapy for brain tumours, she became increasingly drawn not only to the science, but to the people behind it—the patients whose lives hung in the balance. “I realized I was more interested in what was happening to them, how they were responding, and what came next,” she recalls. That realization marked a turning point — she knew her place was caring for people, not lab equipment.
Learning What Matters Most
During medical school at UBC, early family medicine placements opened her eyes to what the profession could be. In Vancouver’s Chinatown, she shadowed Dr. Bruce Chang, a long-time family doctor who seemed to know every patient’s story without ever opening a chart. “He was such an excellent role model and such a patient teacher,” she says. “He didn’t just treat illnesses—he knew the whole person. I was blown away.”
Her second defining moment came unexpectedly—rushing to the hospital with another mentor, Dr. Jeff Dresselhuis, to witness the birth of a baby. “I remember every detail,” she says. “It was such a powerful moment—to witness life beginning and realize the privilege physicians have to be part of those experiences.” Those encounters planted the seed for a lifelong commitment to whole-person, community-rooted care.
Adventure, Adaptability, and the Rural Years
Choosing UBC’s rural family medicine residency program gave Dr. Hubinette a chance to see medicine practiced in its purest, most hands-on form. She spent months in small BC communities like Gibsons and Port McNeill—often with her husband, young daughter, and a second baby on the way, travelling by sailboat between placements. “Looking back, it was wild and chaotic and wonderful,” she laughs. “But it taught me resilience and adaptability—skills every family doctor needs.”
The Art of Generalism
What she discovered through those experiences was that family medicine offered something no other specialty could: the chance to do a bit of everything while building enduring relationships.
“I loved all my rotations—obstetrics, emergency, internal medicine—but I wanted to do all of it,” she says. “Family medicine gave me that breadth and the continuity that I valued most.”
Associate Dean, EducationThat versatility has shaped a rich and varied career—from outreach work in high schools to caring for survivors of sexual violence. Much of her practice has centered on patients facing inequities: youth without stable housing, people struggling with mental health, and those who fall through the cracks of the system. “Sometimes you realize the most powerful intervention isn’t a prescription—it’s being a consistent, trusted presence in someone’s life,” she says.
Facing the Challenges
Dr. Hubinette is candid about the pressures family doctors face today from administrative overload to system gaps: “You can’t fix poverty or housing in a clinic visit,” she says. “But you can ensure someone feels seen, respected, and cared for. That matters.”
Balancing clinical work with her leadership in medical education helps her stay hopeful. “Working in clinic spaces keeps me grounded. The patients I see remind me why training the next generation differently is so important,” she explains.
A New Vision for Primary Care
Now, as part of the SFU School of Medicine’s founding leadership, Dr. Hubinette is helping to design a new kind of medical education—one that puts primary care, equity, and community at its core. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she says. “We get to build something intentional, something that truly reflects how education and healthcare should be delivered today.”
Her hope is that the school will not only graduate more family doctors but also shape a new culture—one that values team-based care, compassion, and adaptability. She also hopes future physicians will see themselves not just as learners, but as active members of the profession from day one.
“Students don’t come in as blank slates — they bring their own experiences and perspectives. When they see themselves as members of the profession, not just recipients of knowledge, it makes health care better for everyone.”
To those considering family medicine, her message is simple: “If you’re drawn to people—to relationships, to seeing the bigger picture of someone’s life—this is an incredibly rewarding path. You’ll face challenges, but you’ll also witness transformation, resilience, and hope every single day.”
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As the Associate Dean, Education, Dr. Maria Hubinette provides leadership for the development and implementation of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education programs and accreditation. As a practicing family physician, her clinical work focuses on youth and women, particularly outreach to youth with barriers to accessing care, community-based mental health support and specialized care for sexual and gender-based violence survivors. She is also a clinical professor in the department of family practice at UBC and has a visiting faculty appointment in the Faculty of Health Sciences.