Prairie North Health Region is touting the addition of new family doctors now practising in North Battleford as a result of the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment program.
Recognized in their news release were Dr. Ijeoma Ozoh and Dr. Negin Asefi, two International Medical Graduates practising in Saskatchewan who became qualified in the province through that program.
SIPPA assesses IMGs on their education and clinical ability before allowing them to practise medicine.
More than 190 new family physicians have completed the assessment and began practicing since it was instituted in 2011.
As well, the news release noted 12 new international medical graduates from the September intake of SIPPA are now completing their field assessments and should begin practising across the province this winter.
"At SIPPA, we are pleased to support Saskatchewan’s need for physicians in communities across the province,” SIPPA medical director for the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan Dr. Jon Witt said.
“We currently have 12 new IMGs enrolled in the SIPPA program and we look forward to seeing them practising in our province soon.”
“Access to physician care continues to improve for people all across Saskatchewan because of SIPPA,” said Rural and Remote Health Minister Greg Ottenbreit in a statement.
“We value internationally trained physicians, and we welcome them to our province. In total, we have nearly 650 more doctors practising in Saskatchewan than we did nine years ago.”
