Ten new medical residency spaces in Dalhousie University’s Family Medicine Residency Training Program have been created across the province, including one in Southwest Nova Scotia.
That brings the total in the area up to six.
The residencies are based out of Yarmouth but residents could be placed anywhere in Southwest Nova.
Dr. Andrew Warren, Associate Dean with Dalhousie Medical School, says that all depends on what type of practices residents are interested in.
“Some people choose to look after the elderly for example, so we try to match the preceptor with the residents and that is a big part of what determines where they go.”
Residents spend two years in a family practice where they will follow a group of patients, gaining skills and experience in areas such as maternal care, psychiatry and geriatrics.
Warren says having residents in learn in rural areas is a good way to recruit physicians in those communities.
“Training in a rural, regional site makes it much more likely a resident will set up a practice there when they graduate.”
According to the province four out of five of this year’s residents have chosen to stay in Southwest Nova.
The announcement came earlier this week along with news that a new training site in Northern Nova Scotia would be added.
The province is investing $3.3 million annually on the program.
Story by Brittany Wentzell
Twitter: @BrittWentzell
