Harper Government Announces Funding to Support New Family Medicine Positions in New Brunswick

News Release
2011-35
February 23, 2011
For immediate release

Factsheet: Family Medicine Residency Initiative for Communities in New Brunswick

Saint John – On behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, Rodney Weston, Member of Parliament for Saint John, today announced federal funding that will support up to six new family medicine residents to receive training and provide medical services in New Brunswick.”Today’s announcement will bring more doctors to New Brunswick,” said MP Weston. “This project will provide the necessary medical training for new family medicine residents and equip them with the skill set needed to practice in areas throughout the province.”

Working in collaboration with the Province of New Brunswick and Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine in Nova Scotia, the new residencies will be created through the province’s new three-year integrated family medicine/emergency medicine program designed specifically for family physicians working in rural areas.

Federal funding will support training for up to six family medicine residents with a focus on enhanced skills in emergency and acute care. Residents will spend eight to sixteen weeks training in a rural area, giving them the important exposure to rural practice that will contribute to their competencies and inclination to practice in smaller communities. Funds will also be used to provide the technical support and tools these doctors need to succeed.

“I would like to congratulate the federal government for their willingness to fund these new residencies,” said New Brunswick Environment Minister, the Hon. Margaret-Ann Blaney on behalf of the Hon. Madeleine Dubé, the province’s Minister of Health. “The additional time that the residents will be provided in rural settings will greatly contribute to their skills and expose them to the challenges and rewards of practicing medicine in a small community.”

Funding from today’s announcement will help ensure the people of New Brunswick have greater access to the right supply, mix and distribution of health care providers. It will also support the Government of New Brunswick’s efforts around health human resources planning which aims to create and maintain a stable, adequate health workforce in select communities.

The Government of Canada is providing up to $2.8 million in funding over four years through the Pan-Canadian Health Human Resources Strategy which supports and facilitates innovation in health human resources to help bring about an adequate supply of health care providers while promoting optimal working conditions for Canada’s health workforce.

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Media Enquiries:
Health Canada
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Jenny Van Alstyne
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
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