Minister prescribes rural practice for new doctors

[CBC News]

Nova Scotia is considering adding seats for students from the province at Dalhousie Medical School, then possibly requiring those new doctors to practise in rural areas.
Health Minister Chris d'Entremont said that is one way to solve the physician shortage in rural parts of Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia spends about $55,000 per student for every year of medical school. For that money, the government would like to place some of them where they are needed the most.
After 2009, some students could be required to sign contracts committing them to rural practice, d'Entremont said.
But a dean at the medical school, Dr. Doug Sinclair, warns those return-for-service contracts can backfire.
"The trouble with return to service is that we're asking these young people to commit six years after they've begun their training to working in an environment that may be very unfamiliar to them," he said.
A better approach, Sinclair said, would be for the province to offer incentives like debt relief to new doctors in return for practising in rural areas.
Full Story
Is this a feasible way to deal with a shortage of rural doctors?


More...

 

[tracy]

I think it's unrealistic. No amount of money is enough to make someone live where they don't want for 6 years and there is no real way to force them. They may have to pay back the money, but they can make enough to do that. I agree with the dean: incenties are a lot better way to go.


And how about looking at increasing the use of PAs and NPs?

 

[WilliamAshley]

Great Idea - we should offer more of these types of things for unstaffed areas all across the country!!!

Afterall how much money is really being spent? If the school profits go up then government subsidization won't be as required -

I'm all for FREE EDUCATION - provided public benefit is attached. We need to increase the ability to train professionals , as lots of professionals have other advantages as well. Good call by Nova Scotia.


Of course this could be used in other ways too.- but allowing them to default is good too.. so if they don't agree then they can just take on the debtload instead. I think that is a good option - giving a "enlistement bonus that will pay" but with preference for placement given to people that subscribe first.