If we're going to go through the effort and expense of bringing new physicians to the province we hope there are criteria in place that will ensure they stay and work where they are most needed.
The province has announced - along with other recruitment areas - it's a step closer to recruiting family physicians from India. A Saskatchewan delegation recently returned from a first-ever recruitment mission to the country. Reportedly the expansion of the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program in May 2012 opened up opportunities to recruit physicians from a wider range of countries, giving saskdocs an opportunity to travel to India and meet with physicians face-to-face.
"We travelled to India expecting that interest would be high among those who were thinking about moving here to practice medicine and we were very happy with the response," saskdocs CEO Ed Mantler says. "We intend to follow up with every doctor that we met in India to discuss their interest and assess their qualifications."
The November trip was the first phase of the India campaign. The second phase, scheduled for June 2013, will see many of the delegation's initial members return to India to offer contracts to those physicians who are eligible for licensure and assessment in Saskatchewan.
"In order to provide first-class medical services to the people of Saskatchewan, we must continue to recruit internationally," Mantler adds. "International medical graduates are essential to our medical system and work fluidly in concert with our medical graduates from the University of Saskatchewan and other Canadian institutions. Our physician recruitment efforts will continue to centre on providing a balance of international medical graduates as well as Saskatchewan and Canadian trained physicians."
The recent mission to India has apparently also generated interest from international medical graduates living in Saskatchewan or other provinces in Canada who are interested in practising medicine here.
Recruit away, but at the same time train our own residents and recruit wisely.
