HOK #132: Meet Dr. Sam Hetz

A photo of Dr. Sam Hetz sitting on a copper coloured couch
Meet Sam Hetz, a Kitchissippi resident and Doctor. Provided photo

I studied family medicine at the University of Ottawa, most of that at the Civic Hospital. I did a fellowship year and extra training in dermatology and plastic surgery. I then got involved in primary care, dermatology and some cosmetic work at the Concept Medical clinic in Ottawa in 2013.

I set up my Kitchissippi clinic in 2016. You really feel like you belong. When strolling down Wellington Street, you run into people that you know. You know the business owners and the neighbours, it just has a really lovely sense of welcoming. Everyone feels like they kind of know everybody else and it really creates that sense of community that I really appreciate, both from a personal and professional level.

My practice is mostly primary care and dermatology. We do see a fair bit of medical skin concerns and a lot of cosmetic concerns as well. I certainly do miss family medicine from time to time. But what I’m doing now, more specialized care, and also being able to enter the more private side of medicine is interesting. 

I like to paint, I do a lot of abstract art. I think a lot of people don’t realize that I did most of the art in the office. A number of years ago, my daughter and I got a canvas and did some painting in the backyard. It actually turned out pretty neat. From there, I said ‘hey, why don’t we start doing some other fun art projects?’ It’s a great way to use that creative side of my brain as opposed to the scientific, analytical side that I use in medicine. 

We’ve been residents of Kitchissippi for the last 10 years and have no plan on leaving. I live in the Civic Hospital area with my wife, who is a pediatrician at CHEO, and our two kids. We work, go to school and live within Kitchissippi ward. My kids take up a fair bit of my extracurricular time. So, I spend a lot of time with them. I belong to a CrossFit gym which is in Kitchissippi as well. I try to get there a couple times a week. 

I love to travel. We’re going to Cancun next week with the family, so that will be a nice trip, getting out of the snowy Ottawa weather. In the past, we did volunteer work in Nepal, Europe, and Thailand.

Story collected by Millie Farley

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