Despite the many challenges, we are unrelenting in our innovation and creativity to find new ways to get out there and meet as many physicians as possible. We have increased our digital marketing presence and our efforts to grow our social media content and I'd encourage each of you to take a look and share content on our Facebook, Linkedin and Instagram pages. Dr. Michel Chiasson did us a great service by adding his testimonial from working on call in Neil's Harbour last weekend--including some awesome drone footage of the town, facility, and beach. Please take any opportunity to to share with other doctors online the things you love about practicing and living in rural and urban Nova Scotia. Did you know that our province has grown by more than 43,000 residents since 2016? We know that people are catching on to our secret as they return to our province in droves -- let's see if we can add as many physicians as we can to those seeking a great life by the ocean. Thanks to all those who entered our May contest for adding physicians to our Facebook Page. The lucky winner was Dr. Richard Gale from Springhill who won a $150 gift certificate to a restaurant of his choice.

I would like to take a moment to thank all of the preceptors, residents, program coordinators and medical leads who contributed to those completing their residency in training sites across our province. This year marks the first graduating class for the North Nova Program and we are so happy to see these new family doctors coming into our system with their experiences of training in North Nova. This is an important area of the province for resident training as it is also an area with many recruitment needs.

We have created an Annual Report to highlight our key progress towards the 2020-2023 Physician Recruitment Strategy. You can read it here.

Doctors Nova Scotia continued their virtual resident dinners, hosting events for the Dalhousie Psychiatry group (April 16), Obstetrics and Gynecology group (April 30) and Anesthesiology group (May 28). We thank Doctors Nova Scotia for their continued resident support and in inviting Marcelle Saulnier, Physician Recruitment Consultant focused on medical learners, to attend. These events were once again met with great enthusiasm from the residents, offering an opportunity for these groups to share a meal together regardless of Covid restrictions.

May 3 kicked off Resident Wellness Week, traditionally hosted by Maritime Resident Doctors (MARDOCS). Although activities were postponed due to increasing COVID-19 restrictions, Nova Scotia Health hosted an Instagram contest for medical residents in Atlantic Canada, for the chance to win two day passes to Sensea Nordic Spa in Chester. The grand prize was won by Dr. Mahdis Riazi, a family medicine resident at the Dalhousie Sydney site.

To celebrate the upcoming graduation of Dalhousie Medicine students, Nova Scotia Health sponsored a virtual dinner for the graduating class. This was attended by 60 students. We send a heartfelt congratulations to all these students who are prepared to enter the next step of their medical education, and wish them all the best in their journey. We look forward to connecting with them throughout their residency.

Marcelle Saulnier, our recruitment consultant focused on medical residents, hosted a number of virtual presentations over the past few months, including information sessions & physician panels for medical students (April 22), and family medicine residents in South West Nova (April 23), Halifax (May 12), and New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island (May 27). She also held an information session for all medical residents across Canada (June 10).

In the coming weeks, the Physician Recruitment Team will also host an information session for family medicine events detailing the physician recruitment cycle (June 24), and will sponsor or participate in celebration events for residents completing their medical education, and welcome events for new residents beginning July 1 throughout the province.

On the weekend of June 11-13, a small group gathered to celebrate the first cohort of the North Nova Family Medicine Residency Program.

The graduating residents enjoyed a wonderful weekend brought together by several partners who have been working with them since they started this journey two years ago.

On Friday, Healthy Pictou County provided lunch for the group. This event was followed by a professional head shot session and group photo (taken by local photographer, Portraits by Johanna and sponsored by Truro Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity-TCPEP). TCPEP then treated the group to an after lunch round of golf at the Truro Golf Course. To end the day, Nova Scotia Health treated the four residents to a special dinner at Bistro On Prince.

On Saturday, the group made their way to Antigonish (Cribbon’s Point), where they were treated to an afternoon lobster fishing with Dr. Bradley MacDougall's and his Dad on Dad’s Fishing boat. Following that, the group returned to Pictou Lodge where they enjoyed a special Zoom meeting with their preceptors and North Nova Cabinet, each enjoying individual Charcuterie “Nibble boxes” courtesy of Doctors Nova Scotia.

The group of residents received other gifts and treats from TCPEP, Healthy Pictou County and Nova Scotia Health.

We hope that the events and support surrounding this group got the message across loud and clear: Nova Scotia is More than Medicine+ and we want you to stay and build a great practice and a greater life in our province.

Northern Zone is very lucky to have Dr. Grandy taking over Dr. Stephen Ellis’ practice in Bible Hill. Dr. Lowe has been accepted into the plus one year for Emergency Medicine at Dalhousie (but hopes to make Northern Zone home once completed). Dr. Jung is planning to complete locum work in Pictou county, as is Dr. Rogers.

Congratulations to our physician recruitment consultant for Central Zone Jazmine Paloheimo who is currently on maternity leave as she welcomes her second child. Filling her shoes for the next year will be Chiedza Chigumba.

Chiedza Chigumba is a recruitment professional with more than 10 years experience in the corporate recruitment setting with notable firms such as KBRS, Meridia, and Hire Resolve.

She holds an honours degree in Business Management and Information Technology from the Catholic University of Zimbabwe, a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and an MBA from the University of Cape Town, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Management at St. Mary's University in Halifax.

Please join us in welcoming Chiedza to our team.

The Nova Scotia Practice Ready Assessment Program (NSPRAP) is an assessment program to ensure that international medical graduates (IMGs) who wish to practice family medicine in Nova Scotia possess appropriate clinical skills and knowledge to provide quality patient care. NSPRAP operates within the Dalhousie Department of Family Medicine(DFM) with the financial support of the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness (NSDHW), in collaboration with Nova Scotia Health recruitment process and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (CPSNS).

For more information about being an assessor please see the PRAP website at https://www.nsprap.com/become-an-assessor

Download the PRAP FAQ here

If you are interested in becoming an assessor please contact: Dr. Fiona Bergin at Fiona.Bergin@Dal.ca or Gwen MacPherson at info@nsprap.ca

Lisa MacAlpine - Manager

902-223-6245

Chiedza Chigumba

902-266-3858

Marcelle Saulnier

902-473-3361