As part of the province's continued efforts to stabilize the physician workforce, a Saskatchewan delegation is travelling to India to recruit family physicians for the first time.
Saskdocs (Physician Recruitment Agency of Saskatchewan) along with physician and health region representatives leave November 16 for the first leg of a consultative mission to India to meet with family doctors interested in working in Saskatchewan.
"We are committed to recruiting and retaining physicians," Minister responsible for Rural and Remote Health Randy Weekes said. "Stabilizing the number of doctors in Saskatchewan, especially in rural communities, is a priority for our government."
"We encourage internationally-trained doctors to consider setting up practice in our province, with its booming economy and vibrant opportunities," Health Minister Dustin Duncan said. "While we have increased enrolment at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Medicine and added residency positions to train doctors here in Saskatchewan, we continue to depend on and appreciate our international medical graduates."
"Internationally-trained family doctors continue to be an important part of Saskatchewan's physician resources," saskdocs CEO Ed Mantler said. "The Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment provides us with an exciting opportunity to seek out family physicians from a broader range of countries worldwide. The potential for India looks promising and we look forward to working with officials, educators and doctors in that country to enhance our international recruitment efforts."
Medicine is a popular and respected profession in India. The country's medical system trains and educates approximately 40,000 physicians per year, many of whom are interested in emigrating to Canada.
The recruitment team will meet with government, university officials and doctors during the first leg of the mission in November. A second delegation will return to the same cities in India in June 2013 to make offers to qualified family physicians.
"We are fortunate that India trains more physicians than it needs and that many of those doctors are looking for work outside their country," Duncan said. "We hope they will consider choosing Saskatchewan as their new home."
This mission builds upon Premier Brad Wall's March 2011 trade mission to India and Bangladesh. At that time, Saskatchewan established strong ties with India and the provincial and physician delegation are encouraged by the willingness of Indian officials to work together on building and nurturing this previously established relationship.
