Long-serving St. George physician retires after 36 years, passes practice to new doctor

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

After more than three decades of caring for patients in a small-town setting he once envisioned for his career, Dr. Tim Hutton is stepping away from daily practice, entrusting his patients to Dr. Mark Hirst in a transition aimed at maintaining continuity of care in the growing community.

Hutton, who has served the St. George area for 36 years, arrived in 1990 intending to practise in nearby Paris before discovering a gap in local care. Hutton said the appeal of practising in a small community was clear from the outset.

“I returned to Ontario July 1990 intending to work in Paris doing family practice but soon found that St George had no physician but had office space next to the pharmacy,” he said. “In September I moved into 1000 sq ft space to open my solo family practice.” 

Over the years, Hutton built more than a practice. He helped establish a foundation for future care in the community. Through teaching medical students and residents, he worked to attract additional practitioners to St. George, eventually expanding into a larger clinic at 2 Sunnyside Drive in 2004.

“So I take great satisfaction that I have been able to serve the community first alone and now with a team of caring office staff, nurses and doctors,” he said. 

Throughout his career, he witnessed significant changes in family medicine, from paper-based systems to digital records and emerging artificial intelligence tools, as well as a shift away from hospital-based work toward office-focused care.

As he prepares for retirement, Hutton said it is the relationships he will miss most.

“I think mostly I will miss the personal interactions with patients and office colleagues and staff.” 

His successor, Hirst, brings a background that spans both international education and rural-focused training. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Guelph, attended medical school at Trinity College Dublin, and served as chief resident in a rural family medicine program at the University at Buffalo. 

Before arriving in St. George, Hirst practised inpatient medicine in Orillia and worked clinic shifts in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. His connection to the community began through colleagues and quickly deepened.

“I immediately felt a connection and after talking with Tim regarding possible retirement started locuming at St George,” he said. “My passion has always been within rural medicine and this connection worked perfectly.”  Hirst said taking over an established practice is both an opportunity and a responsibility.

“Tim has taking incredible care of his patients, and I have seen this firsthand with the amount of respect they show towards his service and care,” he said. “It is a fantastic opportunity to transition into this role and hopefully be able to provide the same care within the community.”  The transition has been gradual, with Hirst working part-time in the clinic since January to become familiar with patients and staff. Hutton said that approach has given him confidence in the handover.

“Fortunately since January when Mark started working part time at the St George Medical Centre I have been greatly reassured that he has the motivation and skills to take over the practice and patients have given positive reports after seeing him in the office,” Hutton said. 

Hirst said patient care will remain consistent, with records transferred through the clinic’s electronic system and an emphasis on maintaining trust.

“Of course, as with every doctor there will be differences in practice, but I hope to continue to mutual respect that Dr. Hutton has developed as we transition myself taking over care,” he said. 

While some scheduling adjustments are expected, including a shift in clinic hours to accommodate community palliative care work, Hirst said his focus will be on maintaining high-quality care while gradually introducing new tools and approaches.

“I am looking forward to building a professional relationship with the members of the community, and provide high quality evidence based care to its members and improve their faulty of health and life,” he said. For now, the clinic is not accepting new patients as Hirst adapts to managing a full roster, though he noted there may be opportunities to expand in the future. 

As Hutton steps back, he plans to remain connected to medicine in a limited capacity while pursuing personal interests, including hiking, reading and travelling with his wife Sue.

For the community, the transition marks both an end and a beginning, closing a chapter defined by decades of dedicated care while opening the door to a new generation of rural medicine rooted in the same commitment to patients.