Third-year medical students from Dalhousie University, Connor Bray and Ryan Densmore are completing hands on training at two hospitals in Cape Breton. Through a new provincial program, with a goal of attracting doctors to the area, the hope is that they will remain in the region despite the hospitals they’re training at slated to close in the near future.
The new medical student clerkship program was launched in New Waterford and North Sydney on Friday – two areas Nova Scotia says will lose their hospitals in the future and be replaced with new health centres.
“I don't think having a brand new shiny hospital, rather than an older hospital is going to make a difference in the quality of your education,” says Densmore.
Meanwhile, Bray, who is from Cape Breton, says he would have no issue with returning to the area.
“The process of going through residency and securing residency spots is sort of its own beast,” says Bray. “So sometimes life takes you in directions you might not have total control over, but I'd be excited for the opportunity to come and live in Cape Breton again.”
The province says new infrastructure is needed to recruit physicians to the area.
“It gives those third-year students exposure outside of the Halifax area,” says Nova Scotia Minister of Health, Randy Delorey. “They spend their entire year for the first time in rural communities.”
The Dalhousie Medical students will practice family medicine in North Sydney and New Waterford but will be trained on other specialized care at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.
Leader of the program, Dr. Joan Salah has been critical of the Liberal government’s decisions in the past and says the facility or its age shouldn't make much of a difference.
“I don't know that having a hospital that has more facilities will make a big difference in how well they can learn because the skills they're learning at this stage are basic level skills,” says SaIah. “I think sometimes when you have really nice facilities; it can be attractive to somebody. Whether or not that will help with recruitment – I have no idea.”
Meanwhile, the province hopes the program will attract students to the island, which is in desperate need of physicians. The program will cost the Nova Scotia government around $120,000 – but officials note 180 family doctors and specialists have started working in the province since April 2018.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore
