Dr. Rod Elford

Family Physician

Dr. Rod Elford is a family physician at the Copeman Healthcare Centre in Calgary.  His practice is focused on preventive health, wellness and citizen engagement, and he is passionate about helping individuals move toward a state of optimal health and wellbeing.  He believes in a holistic approach (mind, body, spirit, social and environment) to healing and is open to many complementary and alternative therapies for which there is supportive evidence.   His clinical interests include integrative medicine, sports medicine, travel medicine, and minor surgery “lumps and bumps”.  When Dr. Elford is not at the Copeman Healthcare centre he works as the provincial Medical Director for Health Link Alberta.

Dr. Elford’s undergraduate degree was in Physical Education (Honours) at the University of Calgary where he graduated with the gold medal.  He completed his medical degree at the University of Alberta and during summer breaks attended the International Space University and received a diploma in Space Sciences.  Dr. Elford completed Family Medicine at the University of Calgary and in 1995 was recognized as the exemplary graduating family medicine resident in the country.  The Alberta Heritage Foundation then sponsored him to complete a two-year international Fellowship in Telemedicine and a Master’s of Science in Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland.  Since 1997 he has worked as a family physician, urgent care physician, and as a telehealth consultant.   Dr. Elford is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary and has been involved in the education and training of health professionals for over a decade both in person and online.   He has given dozens of presentations at medical conferences and has authored numerous articles in peer reviewed medical journals and two medical books.