In a bid to ensure every resident in B.C. has a family doctor by the year 2015, the federal health ministry has allocated $6 million to support medical residents training as family doctors in the province.
The aim is to bring more doctors to B.C. to provide medical services to rural and remote communities, Stockwell Day, president of the treasury board, said during the recent funding announcement.
The funding is targeted to support up to 20 additional residencies over four years, and to establish five new training sites for family medicine residents studying under the province's International Medical Graduates (IMG) program.
"IMGs will also train and return service in health regions across the province, supporting our commitment that every resident in B.C. who wants a family physician will have one by 2015," said Colin Hansen, B.C. health services minister.
Exact locations of where the residency spaces will be located is not known at this time.
Prince George's University Hospital residency program for students who've graduated with medical degree and require two more years of residency training was established in 1995 by Dr. Galt Wilson.
The program accommodates 11 first-year residents in family medicine and specialty training like orthopedics, gynecology, internal medicine and general surgery.
After the Northern Medical Program (NMP) was established in 2004, it became clear that more resident spaces were needed in the North, so Northern Health established residency programs during the past few years in Fort St. John and Dawson Creek, called the Peace-Liard program that accommodates four residents, and in Terrace which offers spaces for two residents.
Twenty four medical doctors have graduated from the NMP in each of 2008, 2009 and 2010 and that number will soon increase to 32 per year.
About 22 months ago, the NMP won a national award for putting out rural doctors at the highest rate ever seen in Canada.
The Rural Medical Education Award by the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada is given annually to a medical program that excels in producing graduates headed for a rural medicine career.
Dr. David Snadden, who heads the NMP, said of the award, "This is proof positive that the program is thriving within its mandate of training physicians for rural and northern practice."
He added a vote of thanks to Northern Health, program supporters, physicians and communities in the North who make the program possible.
Dr. Michelle Sutter, president of the Northern Medical Society, said the success of the NMP will allow people living in rural areas to receive the health care they need in their own communities.
"We have always believed that doctors trained in the North stay in the North, and we are honoured to assist in their training."
The federal funding is being provided through the Pan-Canadian Health Human Resources Strategy which supports and facilitates innovation in human health resources to help provide an adequate supply of health care providers.
