The Province of Alberta introduced a new program on Monday, Jan. 31, designed to provide new doctors with financial incentives to work in rural and remote areas of the province.

Called RESIDE, short for Rural Education Supplement and Integrated Doctor Experience, the program will provide $2 million to 20 new family physicians in each of the next three years, the Province says.

“The physicians will practice in 15 identified rural or remote communities of need.” More communities will be identified in coming years.

The new funding comes on top of existing rural recruitment and retention programs.

Health Minister Jason Copping said, “RESIDE will be key in attracting new family physicians to bring Albertans in rural communities the health care they deserve.

“By addressing rural physician recruitment and retention, this $6-million program is another part of our $90-million commitment this year to ensure Albertans have equitable access to physicians no matter where they live.”

Family physicians who choose to work in specific communities will be eligible for $60,000 for undergraduate tuition fee reimbursement, as well as a remote community incentive ranging from $20,000 to $40,000, depending on the community’s remoteness.

In exchange, successful physicians will provide three years of service in a designated rural community.

It is expected that the first RESIDE participants will start their practices in rural communities as early as fall 2022.

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Leslie Cholowsky
Editor