Who are you?
A sucker for punishment. After 13 years of university, I’ve finally had a real job for the last year and a half as a Psychiatry Resident at UBC. I’m currently working at St. Paul’s Hospital and continuing to learn things from supervisors and patients. Before starting medical school, I did a PhD in Neuroscience that focused on measuring EEG/brain waves in people with schizophrenia with the aim of trying to understand the illness better. Now I’m trying to combine research and clinical work so that each enhances the other.
What do you do for fun?
I’m always up for any kind of team sport. Soccer and ball hockey are probably my two favourites. It’s great to lose yourself in the excitement and unpredictability of sports, and victory and defeat are both so much better when shared with a team. I also like to watch hockey and go to movies and concerts with friends and family.
What’s your favourite community and why?
Portland FC forever! I’ve been fortunate enough to play with and coach this amazing soccer team of residents from Portland Hotel Society buildings and other hotels and shelters in the Downtown Eastside. I’ve seen skill, dedication, and most of all camaraderie beyond anything that I’ve seen on any other team. In addition to a great team, we’ve got a great network of volunteers as well, and it’s an honour to work with everyone. Look out Toronto and the rest of Canada, because we’re coming to the National Street Soccer Championships!
What is your superpower?
I’ve been told that my limerick-writing abilities are wasted in my current profession.
How does your power help you build community?
It’s fair to say that it’s crimeless
If in the end your message ain’t timeless
But if you’re going to spread reason
From season to season
You’d best be sure it’s not rhymeless
My three favourite things about Alan Bates are…
1. He’s cool as a cucumber. That’s sort of what has to happen when your dealing everyday with folks suffering from a dogs-breakfast of mental illnesses. Despite his ability to calmly help people deal with serious struggles, Alan’s also got a deep compassionate streak. He does what he does because he cares and that’s just groovy.
2. He’s a world class soccer coach. Alan is the master of drills. He’s a calm and structured voice in the sometimes unstructured community of Portland FC. He’s also got mad skills and a coach’s passion for his team. Take a recent tournament played in North Van. Portland was in dead heat with their arch rivals and the team was getting some suspect calls from the ref. Despite this, Alan managed to retain a strategic head while still moving to within millimeters of the sidelines and (in the time honored tradition of all great coaches) gestured wildly in an effort to advocate for our team – or so goes the word on the street.
3. He’s genuinely committed to making a difference. Over the past year I’ve practiced and played with Alan every week. It has been a terrific experience and I’ve constantly been impressed by his strong belief in the team and the good it is doing in a community he very obviously cares about. The Downtown Eastside needs more people like Alan and the profession of psychiatry needs more doctors like him.