Renovations to Support Family Medicine Residents

Six hospitals are getting upgrades to improve the space used to train family medicine residents.

Infrastructure funding of $3.15 million will help finish the work being done to accommodate new family residents in New Glasgow, Truro, Amherst, Antigonish and Inverness. It will also allow for construction of a new building next to the Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville.

The work varies in each location. It ranges from renovating or creating space for training, adding a room for residents to stay when they are on call, furniture or technology.

“We are working hard to train, attract and keep family doctors in Nova Scotia, and the family medicine residency program is one of best recruiting tools,” said Health and Wellness Minister Randy Delorey. “It is important they have the space and equipment they need to get the most out of their residency.” Work is underway in New Glasgow, Truro, Amherst, Antigonish, and Inverness. A tender for the Kentville project will be issued in a couple of months.

Quick Facts:

• government announced 10 new family medicine residency spaces in 2018 as part of Dalhousie University’s Family Medicine Residency Training Program
• residents spend two years in a family practice where they follow patients and gain skills and experience in areas like maternal care, mental health and senior care
• the residency training program is an effective recruitment tool; for example, 21 of 29 residents who trained at the Annapolis Valley site (2012-17) stayed to practise in the same or similar communities
• family medicine training sites are located in North Nova (Truro, Amherst, New Glasgow), Cape Breton (Sydney and Inverness), Annapolis Valley, South West Nova, and Halifax
• residency training is a joint effort of the Department of Health and Wellness, Dalhousie Medical School and Nova Scotia Health Authority