Fast 15: Quintin Canada

Quintin Canada has always been interested in healthcare and has family members who’ve worked in the field.

“I just wanted to be in and around where you could make a difference,” he said.

The Conway native moved to Northwest Arkansas to attend the University of Arkansas. Initially, he’d considered medical school but learned it wasn’t for him in his freshman year. His academic adviser suggested public health. Canada graduated in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in public health.

In February 2020, he joined Ozark Dermatology as the business development manager. In the new role, he developed the company’s marketing department and implemented a new telemedicine program at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as patient volume fell more than 50%.

“Telemedicine was virtually the only way we were able to see patients for quite some time other than the patients that have to come in, such as for procedures like surgeries or melanoma, which you have to treat pretty quickly,” he said.

Canada selected the software, ordered iPads and ensured providers were trained for the company’s four clinics in Northwest Arkansas. Almost 90% of patient visits were completed via telemedicine for nearly six months. Canada also helped to implement a dermatology curbside clinic for in-person patient visits.

He oversees one employee and an outsourced team of three to four people. His role includes setting the company’s vision and releasing its strategy.

In 2018, the Fayetteville City Council appointed Canada to the planning commission. He recently was named secretary of the commission.

Canada said his first job in high school taught him how to deal with people. He oversaw compliance with the parking and lease agreement for a snow cone business.

He said his father, Clem, taught him the importance of responding to situations and that it’s less about the situation and more about how one responds to it, especially amid the pandemic.

“I realized that you could make something out of anything,” he said. “Just because something might be a setback doesn’t mean that it’s still not an opportunity.”

Canada supports Susan G. Komen. He enjoys yoga, working out and kayaking.