Ten new international physicians will begin working in six communities in WestMan this fall, according to Prairie Mountain Health.
In a release, PMH said they had recruited physicians to work in Killarney, Minnedosa, Carberry, Russell, Swan River, and Rossburn/Shoal Lake. This is up from eight new physicians in five communities last year.
According to PMH, two of the primary streams they use to recruit physicians are the provincial Medical Licensure Program for International Medical Graduates (MLPIMG) and Practice Ready Assessment for Manitoba Family Practitioners (PRA-MB FP). The one-year MLPIMG Program and three-month PRA-MB FP programs help foreign-trained doctors obtain their medical license to practice as family physicians in rural Manitoba. In return for regional sponsorship, doctors agree to practice in their respective communities for four years.
“During the past year, the region offered tremendous support and mentorship through these programs,” said Treena Slate, PMH CEO. “After much consideration, physicians who successfully graduated from the programs were placed at various sites within PMH communities that require additional physician resources.”
The newly recruited physicians for communities are:
Killarney
Dr. Shams Usman
Dr. Ola Usman
Minnedosa
Dr. Moazzam Raza
Dr. Karen Aquino
Carberry
Dr. Hanan Almanama
Russell
Dr. Abdulatif Balogun
Dr. Porimol Debnath
Swan River
Dr. Osa Osadolor
Dr. Ola Fagbenro
Rossburn/Shoal Lake
Dr. Ana Hernandez
PMH also said they will continue to sponsor physicians entering assessment through the two international recruitment streams during the next rotation, which is already underway.
