[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/peter_dent_small.jpg” caption=”Peter Dent”]Enjoy what you do, but make sure you're doing it for the right reasons.

That's the advice for medical students from Peter Dent, a 40-year veteran of pediatrics and medical education.

“If you're looking for self-fulfillment it's possible to find that,” says Dent. “But if it's your only reason for doing it then you're doing medicine and society a disservice. You have to see medicine not as a way of earning a living, but as a social commitment.”

Dent's commitment has been a strong one and his medical career during “an explosion of new knowledge” has included many roles.

He is currently the associate vice-president, clinical services for the Faculty of Health Sciences. Dent is also a professor emeritus of pediatrics and head of the department's rheumatology division.

He is deputy chief of pediatrics for McMaster Children's Hospital and, as a pediatric rheumatologist, has an active practice both at McMaster Children's Hospital and at the Children's Hospital of Western Ontario in London, Ont.

This month he was recognized with the designation of Master from the American College of Rheumatology. Only five other Canadians have received the award, which is given to physicians who have significantly furthered the art and science of rheumatology.

“It was never an issue of being a doctor,” Dent says of his career choice. “It was about being a pediatrician.”

“Children really are our future. When you work with children who are unwell, you can allow them to maximize their potential,” says the father of three.

As well, Dent's belief that people should do what they're good at lead him to his decision to enter medicine.

“It partly came from knowing I would be a total failure in business,” he adds with a chuckle.

After graduating from medical school at the University of Toronto in 1960, Dent completed pediatric residency training at the Hospital for Sick Children. His work also took him to Birmingham Children's Hospital in England and to the University of Minnesota, where he became inspired to pursue pediatric rheumatology.

He came to the McMaster in 1968 at the founding of the medical school.

“McMaster was the exciting new development in the field of medical education. The leaders were visionaries and I wanted to be part of it.”

Dent has pursued research in several areas, including rheumatology and cancer immunology.

He worked with the late Peter McCulloch, a former professor of medicine, who lead a team to develop the ability to grow human malignant melanoma cells, gaining the ability to test different treatments.

Dent's hospital administrative positions include being Chief of Pediatrics at Chedoke-McMaster Hospitals from 1981 to 1990. During that time the McMaster Children's Hospital was established, Ronald McDonald House on Main Street was built for the families of pediatric patients and the Children's Hospital's annual telethon was founded. In 1996 he was recognized with the Cornerstone Award for establishing the department as an internationally recognized centre of excellence in teaching, research and care.

Dent has seen many changes in the practice of medicine. One of the biggest changes in medical practice today is balancing patients' increased interest in alternative medicine with the evidence-based approach of physicians.

“One of the biggest changes is the increased sophistication of patient's knowledge about disease. Physicians have become much more evidence-based; they look for proof a treatment works before they'll recommend it. Patients don't always appreciate that.”

Dent doesn't see these changes as challenges, but simply as new aspects of practice that sometimes take more time to work through.

This year he lead the Faculty's response to the SARS situation that closed hospitals to students and he has been a chief negotiator for the Faculty and Hamilton's hospitals in developing an Alternative Funding Plan contract for academic physicians with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

For Dent, the calling to work in this area was a natural one.

“I felt I was needed and I felt I had some talent in the area. I was brought up in a tradition of service, where there's value placed in that.”

Community service is also a part of Dent's life. He has volunteered with the Hamilton Foundation, Ronald McDonald House and has served on the executive of the District Health Council.

Dent also places great value on being completely committed to the profession of medicine. He feels that people should only choose medicine as a career if they are willing to make it their life.

“Medicine is not about having a life. Medicine is a total commitment,” he says.