Dr Retief is a GP Anesthetist with full licensure to practice in British Columbia under the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia. 

He graduated as GP Anesthetist in South Africa in 1993. After working as full-time GP Anesthetist, Pain Practitioner and Family physician for 12 years in Pretoria, South Africa, he immigrated to Canada in 2005. Since immigrating 19 years ago, he has worked as a Full-Time Anesthetist and Pain Physician at Chilliwack General Hospital, bringing the total years of Anesthesia & Pain Management experience to 31 years. 

Anesthesia is his profession, but Chronic Pain Management is his passion. Over the last six years, he spearheaded a regional initiative to upgrade, integrate and streamline the Chronic and Transitional Pain Services in the Eastern Fraser Valley.

His qualifications includes:

• Fully registered Medical Practitioner in South Africa (MBChB) and Canada (LMCC & CCFP),

• Diploma in Anesthesiology (DA-SA), 

• Certified Family Practice Anesthesiologist (CCFP-FPA),

• Graduate Certificate in Pain & Rehabilitation Medicine (UofA),

• Botulinum Neurotoxin Pain Management Certification (Level 3).

He spearheaded and/or served in the following official pain management capacities:

• Chairman East Fraser Pain Collaborative – 2018 to 2023

• Founder & Administrator CGH Pain Service – 2010 to 2024

• Consultant East Pain & Opioid treatment Hub - 2018 to 2024

• CGH Staff Association – Lead Chronic Pain Project – 2017 to 2022

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Due to significant budget constrains implemented by Fraser Health Authority at Chilliwack Hospital, Dr Retief made the strategic decision to follow his dream and passion by developing PainScape - a non-Health Authority Interventional Pain Medicine Service which provides a high level, personal care to patients suffering with chronic pain, and effective collaboration with their referring and treating healthcare providers.  

Dr Retief's interest include, broad based chronic pain conditions, ultrasound guided interventional pain management, with special interests in spine pain, joint pain, neck pain and headache, regenerative medicine with the use of Platelet-Rich-Plasma, neuromodulation with the use of exercise therapy and ketamine assisted psychotherapy, pain management with use of Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A.

Dr Retief believes that empowering patients with knowledge about their pain conditions is the first step to alleviating pain. Therefore, Dr Retief's pain management process and treatment plans emphasize patient education as an essential tool alongside the conventional interventional treatment modalities.

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