The provincial government is offering physician training to address physician shortages in rural Alberta.
“Alberta has the best front-line health-care workers in the world, and Alberta’s government is working to ensure that Albertans have access to the care they need, when and where they need it,” a government of Alberta media release said. “Rural Albertans are disproportionately affected by the nationwide shortage of healthcare workers and their community members cannot access physician training close to home.”
Through a $1 million investment, the provincial government is exploring ways post-secondary institutions can offer medical education outside of Edmonton and Calgary.
“Over the past year, we’ve made strategic investments to address healthcare labour shortages, including through the largest expansion of post-secondary seats in Alberta’s history. Partnering with Alberta’s two medical schools and institutions in northern and southern Alberta to train doctors locally is the best path to ensuring we meet rural needs,” Minister of Advanced Education Demetrios Nicolaides said.
The investment will be allocated to the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge and Northwestern Polytechnic to support collaborative planning and will include plans to support training centres in Lethbridge and Grande Prairie.
“Expanding medical training in rural areas creates new opportunities for students who want to remain in their communities while making other students familiar with regions of the province and types of work they may not have considered before. Expanding training opportunities is just one way we’re addressing the shortage of rural doctors to ensure Albertans get the care they need when and where they need it,” Minister of Health Jason Copping said.
“Research shows that positive learning experiences in rural healthcare settings lead to more physicians choosing to pursue careers in rural areas,” the release said.
Training will include hands-on learning experiences in rural communities that will support the recruitment of physicians to train medical students and residents and increase access to physician services.
“We at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine are excited about working collaboratively with our colleagues across the province to provide innovative educational solutions for health workforce shortages, particularly in the rural areas. There are many factors and initiatives required to help the situation and expanding physician training capacity in Alberta post-secondaries can lead to a healthier population,” dean of the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine Dr. Todd Anderson said. “This funding is the latest investment from Alberta’s government to ensure students have access to the education, training and skills students need to succeed in tomorrow’s economy,” the release said. “At the same time giving confidence to industry, businesses and investors that regional workforce needs will be met.”
In the 2022 Budget, the provincial government invested more than $171 million in Alberta’s post-secondary system, creating almost 10,000 seats over three years in programs, with more than 2,400 seats in nursing, health care aide, and paramedic programs.
The provincial government and the Alberta Medical Association will work together to support physician recruitment and retention and provide programs that offer incentives for physicians to work in rural Alberta communities.
