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Health Minister Jason Copping. (Government of Alberta)
By Abby Zieverink
retaining family physicans

Province announces financial incentives to attract and retain new family physicians to rural Alberta

Jan 31, 2022 | 4:49 PM

The provincial government has announced a new program that will help bring more family physicians to remote and rural Alberta communities as early as this fall.

Health Minister Jason Copping announced the provincial government will be providing $6 million in funding over the next three years for the Rural Education Supplement and Integrated Doctor Experience (RESIDE) program.

The RESIDE program is set to provide new family physicians financial incentives in hopes of attracting and retaining physicians to select rural communities.

Copping says through the program 20 new family doctors will receive $2 million in each of the next three years.

“A total of 60 new family physicians are eligible for incentives for the program over the next three years,” Copping stated.

He adds family physicians who choose to work in specific communities will also be eligible for $60,000 for undergrad tuition fee reimbursement, as well a remote community incentive which is said will range from $20,000 to $40,000, depending on the community’s remoteness.

The 15 communities identified for the program in 2022 include Fox Creek, Grande Cache, Fort Vermilion, Wabasca, High Level, Rimbey, Lloydminster, Milk River, Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, Rocky Mountain House, Fort Macleod, Barrhead, Ponoka, and Athabasca.

“They (the physician) will be asked to choose their top 10 communities and will then be matched to a community based on the best fit for available vacancies,” added Copping.

To be eligible, Copping says applicants must be a family resident physicians, completing their residency training this year while also expressing an interest to work in rural/remote Alberta.

Those eligible can start applying as of February 1, 2022, by filling out an application form on the RhPAP website. The deadline is March 31, 2022.

The RESIDE Program will be administered by the Rural Health Professions Action Plan (RHPAP).

by Abby Zieverink