Net gain: N.S. added nearly 200 more doctors than it lost last year
Nova Scotia Health Recruits 189 New Doctors, Eases Primary Care Strain
Nova Scotia has successfully recruited 189 new doctors over the past year, surpassing the number of doctors who retired or left the province. This marks a significant increase of approximately 50% compared to the previous year, according to officials from Nova Scotia Health.
Katrina Philopoulos, the director of physician recruitment for Nova Scotia Health, stated in an interview with CBC’s Information Morning Halifax that the new doctors have been distributed across various regions in the province. While many have chosen to practice in Halifax and Cape Breton, others have opted for less populated areas like Yarmouth.
Sarah O’Toole, the physician recruitment consultant for the eastern zone, reported that 45 new doctors were added to the region, with 27 joining the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Despite 14 doctors leaving during the same period, the zone still experienced a net gain of 31 physicians.
One notable achievement highlighted by O’Toole was the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney now having a full team of anesthesiologists, enabling all operating theatres to be operational and provide essential care to patients.
Regarding the impact on primary care services, O’Toole mentioned that some of the new recruits are filling the vacancies left by retiring family physicians, aiming to alleviate the strain on the provincial registry for individuals seeking a primary care physician. As of February, over 100,000 people in Nova Scotia were in need of a family doctor.
Philopoulos further revealed that half of the recruits are graduates of Dalhousie University’s medical school, while 30% are international medical graduates. This diverse mix of talent reflects Nova Scotia Health’s commitment to addressing healthcare needs across the province.
