Nova Scotia Welcomes Largest Medical Residency Class
The province’s largest-ever medical residency class started providing care to Nova Scotians this weekend.
Including subspecialities and fellowships, a record 233 resident doctors began their training Saturday, July 1. Of those, 77 are Dalhousie medical school graduates, also a record.
“Nova Scotia is a great place to live and work, and the popularity of our medical residency program is proof of that,” said Michelle Thompson, Minister responsible for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment. “We train and educate thousands of healthcare professionals every year through our colleges and university programs, which helps connect more people to healthcare services during their training period. In the long-term, keeping those professionals here after they graduate is an important part of our plan to fix healthcare.”
Last fall, the Province announced funding to add 10 family medicine residency spots at Dalhousie University’s school of medicine. In addition, 10 more of the available residency spots were designated for international medical graduates with a Nova Scotia connection. Every residency seat has been filled this year.
International medical graduates who receive residencies in Nova Scotia must complete a three-year return of service after they complete their residency program.
Increasing the number of residency seats is an action item in Action for Health, the government's plan to improve healthcare in Nova Scotia.
Quotes:
“I have been trying to get a residency spot in Nova Scotia for nearly 14 years. Before pursuing my medical degree, I took my undergraduate at Dalhousie University and most of my family live here. I don’t want to live anywhere else. The Nova Scotia International Medical Graduates Program has made it possible to fulfill my dreams of providing healthcare in the place that I love and consider home.”
– Nour Issa, Dalhousie family medicine resident, Nova Scotia international medical graduates program
“We are thrilled to welcome 10 additional international medical school graduates to Dalhousie and Nova Scotia this year. I would also like to thank the exceptional family doctors who are welcoming these residents into their practices and the staff and communities across the province who have made this expansion possible.”
– Dr. Kath Stringer, Head of the Department of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University
Quick Facts:
- there are 80 new family medicine residents starting this year
- the Canadian Resident Matching Service matches medical residents with training positions across Canada; thousands of people, including hundreds of international graduates, applied for residencies in Nova Scotia
- a new medical school campus at Cape Breton University will soon train 30 new doctors a year
- the government added 200 nursing seats last year and has committed to providing a job to every nurse who graduates in Nova Scotia
- training and support for other healthcare professions, including licensed practical nurses, paramedics and continuing care assistants, have also expanded recently
Additional Resources:
Action for Health: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/
News Release: Helping Internationally Trained Nova Scotian Doctors Come Home: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20221205003
Mandate letter of the Minister of Health and Wellness: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DHW.pdf