Program to attract doctors

A program that will hopefully keep more doctors in Vernon is in full swing.

In July, Vernon became one of the newest training sites for the UBC family medicine training program, with the addition of four family practice residents.

The program has 23 training sites across BC and site director Dr. Travis Allen said one of the goals is doctor retention in the areas they were trained.

“It's basically a training program for family doctors,” Allen said, adding one in five people in BC are without a family doctor.

“We've been having medical students in Vernon for 10 years roughly so this is a layering or addition to that.”

Bringing the program to Vernon has been in the works for months and was officially launched last summer for a two-year doctor residency.

There are four residents in the program this year and Allen said that will jump to eight next year.

“They will do work in Vernon, Lumby and Armstrong,” Allen said. “We are highlighting all the local learning opportunities and opportunities after residency as well. We get to train with all the local physicians... and we can hopefully recruit some more families doctors because there is such a need right now.”

Program participants will train at Vernon Jubilee Hospital as well as doctor's offices and at the various clinics in the area.

They will also work with the Okanagan Indian Band and urgent care to gain experience into health issues Indigenous peoples and the areas vulnerable population faces.

“The cool thing about it is there are various other family practice sites in BC, but this is the first one in this area for our training program,” Allen said. “The other sites that are doing it found these are one of the strongest recruitment tools.”

Allen said one resident who just started the program, has already purchased a house in the Lumby area.

Allen said Vernon “has been a great partner” noting houses were built “from the ground up” for the student doctors.

Earlier this year, Community Futures North Okanagan officially opened three homes that would house eight student doctors.

Leigha Horsfield, CFNO executive director, said the project is more than just immediate housing for medical professionals, but is part of a long-term plan to keep those professionals in Vernon.

The $1.8-million project was funded by the City of Vernon and the CFNO, with help from other local businesses and agencies.

“The goal is retention,” Horsefield said. “The goal is to get them into these housing projects and we help them fall in love with the community and initial retention program which we have started with Okanagan College. It's not just the housing, there is a strategy behind it to help maintain this skilled labour in our community.”

Allen said one of the goals is to get them connected to the community for its professional and recreational benefits.

In an online testimonial, Dr. Amelia Johnston praised all the program had to offer.

“The North Okanagan site has a fairly unique longitudinal curriculum. We change rotations frequently and have a flexible call system where we can pick from a number of different call shifts. Yet we spend extra time with our family practice preceptors to develop those foundational family medicine skills. This allows us to get some increased exposure in core areas, keep our skills fresh, and get some high yield learning opportunities,” she said.