Our Practice
"Your Island, Your Health: Caring for Our Rural Community"
At Denman Island medical clinic our physicians are specialists in primary care and family medicine. Their knowledge spans the width of all medical specialities. They form the backbone of the medical system and journey with you from pregnancy to end of life. They work as a team with nurses, specialists and other health care professionals to ensure comprehensive care.
We are a dedicated primary healthcare team serving Denman Island, firmly rooted in the belief that well-being starts with strong partnerships between patients and their healthcare providers. Our mission is to offer readily available, timely, and empathetic healthcare. Our goal is to empower patients to actively participate in their health journey and leverage cutting-edge technology to meet the ever-evolving needs of our community. Furthermore, we are committed to actively engaging with our wider community through group medical sessions, workshops, and various other events.
Calls are answered Monday to Friday 0900-1700. Phone lines are extremely busy. Feel free to leave a message, we will return your call as soon as possible.
Please know that we are doing our best to serve you.
Dr. Jody Taylor MD
Jody has been a full scope GP for the past 9 years specializing in woman’s health and dermatology. Prior to medicine Jody worked as a nurse for many years. Jody’s diverse background has given her great insights into patient care. Jody is a casual person and often office sessions are conversations about health and wellness led by her patients as well as clinical exams and treatment.
Outside of work Jody enjoys hiking with her dogs, swimming and vacationing with her family.
Kim Kirby
Kim has a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of Victoria. While working as a Behavioural Counselor at the women’s federal penitentiary in Abbotsford, where she was a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills trainer, she came to the realization that Social Work was the career path she wanted to pursue. She has several years experience with the Ministry of Children and Family Development in the Fraser Valley, and came to the Island to work as a Family Liaison Officer at CFB Esquimalt. She made her way to the Comox Valley to be closer to family, and most recently worked for Community Living BC.
Richard Ryoo, Medical Admin
Richard moved to Denman Island in 2023 after working at UBC and a dental clinic in North Vancouver. When not working he likes to travel to newly built skateboard parks in the lower mainland and Washington State.
Dr. Tracy Thomson MD
Dr. Thomson received her Medical Degree at Western University. She went on to complete additional training with a Family Residency at U of Calgary, GP Anesthesia at UBC, Traditional Chinese Medicine at U of Alberta and more recently completed an Advanced Fellowship in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine.
Her early career began in Golden, BC where she practiced emergency, obstetrics, family medicine and anesthesia. She then went on to run her own clinic, Gaia Collaborative Medicine for many years in Canmore, AB where she raised her three boys and took full advantage of the wonderful small town mountain life.
She has currently been serving as the Medical Director for Telus HealthCare Center in Calgary, Precision Health at TELUS Sky, and most recently the new Alberta Medical Director for TELUS Healthcare.
She has chosen Denman Island as the last stage in her career, choosing to be closer to nature and the ocean. She is writing a book on healing due to be published next year and looks forward to contributing to the community with her knowledge and passion for medicine.
Liticia Gardner, Office Manager
Liticia moved to Denman in 2019 and has a background in nonprofit management, HR and social services. Liticia enjoys gardening, community choir and doing her best to keep Denman weird and wonderful! You might see Liticia buzzing around the island on her orange bicycle.
Heather Halvorson , Medical Admin
Heather is a Denman Island local. Heather has been with the clinic since 2020. When Heather is not working at the clinic she enjoys travelling and scuba diving.
Carmen Bedard-Gautrais - Spectra Health
Carmen followed an interdisciplinary path to her medical studies 20 years ago. She combined coursework in the biomedical field during her pre-med undergrad in the US with the study of herbal medicine practices in Mexico, Europe and East Africa.
The exposure to a variety of perspectives on health encouraged her to combine conventional medicine with ancient forms of healing. She a Doctorate of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Victoria, BC. Her final residency was in northern China at the Liaoning Teaching Hospital.
Carmen then completed a Masters of Physical Therapy at UBC as part of the Northern and Rural Cohort which included placements throughout the province in a wide variety of settings including neurological rehabilitation, Mary Pack arthritis centre, acute care, post-surgical units and private practice.
As a physiotherapist, Carmen has focused her practice on chronic pain, arthritis care as well as vestibular and concussion rehabilitation.
After a decade of working for Parksville Physiotherapy, Carmen has opened her private practice:Spectra Health,and has dedicated her time to establishing a multi-disciplinary rehab and wellness practice on Denman and Hornby Islands
The Denman Health Centre Society is a non-profit charity that owns and maintains the Zella Clark Health Centre . The mandate of the Society is to provide a facility that enables health care practitioners to provide services to Denman Island residents within their home community. At present, the Society leases the health care centre to Dr. Jody Taylor (the clinic, office and waiting room) , Carmen Bedard-Gautrais (the physio room) and Hornby Denman Health Society (annex building).
The Zella Clark Health Centre was initially made possible in 2005 through a generous gift of land by the Clark family and the generosity of time and funds by the people of Denman Island. The Society has overseen the centre since that time and in early 2023 expanded the facility by securing a second modular structure to increase the space available for health services. The Society is guided by a volunteer board of directors.
Dr. Jody Taylor leases the Zella Clark Health Centre with much happiness where she operates the Denman Island Medical Clinic as Medical Director. The clinic humbly acknowledges that the clinic resides on the unceded territories of the K’ómoks, Tla'amin, Pentlatch, Qualicum, We Wai Kai, and Wei Wai Kum peoples. We are grateful for the past and present stewards of these lands.
