Two More Doctors Practise in Prince Albert Parkland Health Region

Released on November 6, 2014

Patients in communities all over Saskatchewan continue to have better access to physician services.  Two new family physicians are now practising in Shellbrook and Spiritwood, thanks to the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program.

Dr. Olumide (Shellbrook) and Dr. Olakanmi (Spiritwood) join many other International Medical Graduate (IMG) colleagues already practising in Saskatchewan.  SIPPA is a unique, made-in-Saskatchewan program that assesses IMGs on their education and clinical ability before allowing them to practise medicine.  Since the program began in 2011, more than 150 new family physicians have completed the assessment and have fulfilled or are fulfilling their service commitment to the province.

“We welcome these new physicians to reinforce our strong and growing province,” Rural and Remote Health Minister Greg Ottenbreit said.  “While our first priority is to recruit graduates from the University of Saskatchewan, we rely on international graduates to help us meet the health care needs of our residents.”

“SIPPA has provided Prince Albert Parkland with a source of physicians that has enabled us, along with our community partners, to stabilize physician services in our rural communities,” Prince Albert Parkland Health Region Senior Medical Officer Dr. Brenda Hookenson said.  “This has ensured patients have improved access to health care services closer to home.”

“I recognize the continuing need to have more family physicians serving patients across Saskatchewan, and I am encouraged by the success of these latest SIPPA graduates,” Medical Director of SIPPA for the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan Dr. Jon Witt said.  “SIPPA is proving to be one valuable avenue we can use to address our need for more family doctors.  I am very pleased to be working with our rural communities, saskdocs and the province to provide IMGs with opportunities to live and work in Saskatchewan.”  

"The saskdocs team was pleased to work with Prince Albert Parkland Health Region, our SIPPA program partners, community leaders and other physicians to recruit these doctors,” saskdocs’ CEO Dr. Dennis Kendel said.  “We will continue to meet the physician needs of communities and health regions through the ongoing recruitment of locally and internationally-trained physicians.”

In addition, a total of 20 new IMGs are now completing their clinical field assessments as part of the program’s September intake.  If successful, these physicians will begin practising across the province later this winter.

 
In collaboration with the health regions, saskdocs continues to recruit physicians through direct recruitment initiatives, establishing relationships with medical students and residents, local, national and international advertising, and attending career fairs at home and abroad.

Family physician IMGs seeking more information on SIPPA and the opportunities currently available are encouraged to contact saskdocs at info@saskdocs.ca or call toll-free (in North America) 1-888-415-3627 or 306-933-5000.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Tyler McMurchy
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083

James Winkel
saskdocs
Saskatoon
Phone: 306-933-5094

Laura Herman
College of Medicine
Saskatoon
Phone: 306-262-6059