POLARIS

CHEYANNE VETTER

MD

CHAIR

Cheyanne is a Family Medicine Resident in Saskatchewan, Canada. She has been involved with WONCA since medical school and is currently the Chair of Polaris. Being involved in WONCA and the YDM’s has been very rewarding because, more than anything, she believes that primary care is crucial for healthy populations. She finds WONCA activities energizing and gets much of her inspiration from her international colleagues. Cheyanne has a strong interest in rural and remote healthcare and is completing a year of residency in enhanced surgical skills to prepare her for rural practice in the Canadian Prairies, she is looking forward to incorporating teaching and research into her practice. 

STEPHEN CASHMAN

MD

Stephen Cashman is an early practice physician working in numerous locales across Canada and is WONCA-Polaris' first five years in practice representative.  He is the Canadian lead for FM360, and is responsible for placing incoming students with Canadian preceptors.  He spends a lot of time working on Canada's east coast in emergency medicine settings and in the far north, often in very remote locations doing remote clinic.  He likes rock climbing, traveling, and dogs.

KIERA HAYES

MSc

Kiera is a fourth year medical student at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York.  She has loved becoming a board member for Polaris and getting the opportunity to be a part of brainstorming the objectives and future directions of the organization.  Within the group, she takes care of social media and website development.  She has a strong interest in underserved communities locally and internationally and hopes to practice Family medicine in the Pacific Northwest.  

LAUREN BULL

MD

Lauren is a Family Medicine resident in Denver, Colorado where she works with refugee and immigrant patients in a federally qualified health center. She is passionate about underserved care, global health, and human rights. She believes deeply in advancing primary care and is honored to be part of WONCA’s efforts to support global family medicine. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, skiing, and curling up with a good book and cup of tea.

MEGAN GUFFY

MD, MPH, FAAFP

Dr. Guffey is the young physician member of the Polaris board and practices full spectrum family medicine in rural Washington State.  She also works in her clinic as the ACO Medical Director, and on several local boards that advance health in her community. She has loved being involved in the birth of Polaris and helping to shepherd it through its infancy. Her special interests include global health, human rights, maternal health, and gender based violence.

SHAKERA R. CARROLL

MD

Shakera is a Family Physician from The Bahamas. She has been a part WONCA Polaris since 2015 and is currently its Caribbean Representative. She is involved in clinical practice and academics, as well as the local and regional branches of WONCA North America. It is her belief that as Family Medicine is a multidisciplinary specialty, family physicians can be not only health care providers, but also advocates with a global reach. When she's not busy with work, she enjoys travel, socializing with friends and family, the internet, stimulating conversation, and the antics of her budgie "Morty".

AMBER WHEATLEY

Amber is a junior doctor currently training in North Wales, UK. Originally from the British Virgin Islands, Amber has followed her passion for rural family medicine around the world. Her main goal for family medicine in the British Virgin Islands is to change the perception of public health from a poor man's last resort to a service that both citizens and visitors are proud of. A true believer in holistic care, she is a keen yoga practitioner and enjoys being outdoors. Amber is both honoured and humbled to represent the Caribbean region in Polaris and will be joining the family medicine revolution as a resident in August.