Health Minister Jason Copping. (Government of Alberta)

By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Province announces new program to attract & retain rural physicians

Jan 31, 2022 | 7:33 PM

Alberta’s rural communities could soon have hope in getting more family physicians.

Health Minister Jason Copping has announced $6-million over the next three years for the Rural Education Supplement and Integrated Doctor Experience (RESIDE) Program, which will give new family doctors up to $60,000 in undergraduate tuition reimbursements.

They will receive another $20,000 to $40,000 through a remote community incentive, depending on the level of need in that community.

In exchange, they will commit to working for at least three years in one of 15 identified rural communities.

• Fox Creek
• Grande Cache
• Fort Vermillion
• Wabasca
• High Level
• Rimbey
• Lloydminster
• Milk River
• Cold Lake
• Lac La Biche
• Rocky Mountain House
• Fort Macleod
• Barrhead
• Ponoka
• Athabasca

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“I’m very excited about this new program,” says Copping. “It will be instrumental in attracting new family physicians to underserved communities throughout Alberta. It will improve Albertans’ access to the healthcare they need and will further our goal to ensure Albertans have equitable access to physicians, no matter where they live in the province.”

He adds that this will allow 20 doctors each year to start working in those areas in need. For every year of the program, more rural communities will be added.

The RESIDE Program will be administered by the Rural Health Professions Action Plan (RHPAP).

Dr. Gavin Parker, a doctor from Pincher Creek and RHPAP Chair expressed gratitude to the provincial government for taking this substantial step that will help those in rural communities get the care they need in a timely fashion.

He and his team will do everything they can to ensure they can get properly settled, including by offering three months of free housing.

“Having practiced in a rural Alberta community for 15 years, I can attest to the importance of providing a warm welcome for physicians who are new to practice in rural Alberta. The Reside Program ensures that highly-trained, talented physicians will have the best chance to establish a successful practice in the rural and remote communities that need them the most.”

NDP Opposition Health Critic David Shepherd believes the RESIDE program “is an unspoken admission that the rural doctor recruitment scheme announced by Tyler Shandro (former health minister) in April of 2020 has failed.”

“This small and unoriginal proposal comes when rural Alberta communities desperately need doctors. We are seeing an alarming increase in emergency room closures, bed closures, cancelled surgeries, closed labor and delivery rooms, and Albertans without access to a family doctor, especially in rural communities.

Referencing the proposal lacked in support from the Rural Medicine section of the Alberta Medical Association, Shepherd said, “If the UCP truly wants to build trust back with Alberta doctors, and attract healthcare professionals to rural communities, they will repeal the elements of Bill 21 that allow them to unexpectedly tear up any future contract with doctors.”

Applications will open on Tuesday, February 1 at rhpap.ca and will close on March 31.

To be eligible, you must be a family medicine resident physician completing your residency training this year and express interest in practicing in rural and remote parts of Alberta.

As part of the application process, interested medical professionals would complete a list of their top 10 rural and remote areas and will be matched up based on that.

Copping says the first family doctors under this program will begin practicing in fall 2022.