// President's Committee on Physician Recruitment

In August of 2008 the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce launched its Fredericton Physician Recruitment Initiative, a community-based project intended to complement the existing efforts of the Regional Health Authority and the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital.

The decision to form the initiative arose from discussions with Chamber members, who expressed concern over the ability to recruit skilled workers to a community experiencing a physician shortage, who pointed out that access to health care is a key requirement for companies looking to the city as a place to do business, and who noted that immigrants are unlikely to choose to relocate to, or remain in, a community that cannot offer them access to primary health care. These discussions made it apparent that the physician shortage had the potential to affect more than just a small group of people -- it could create a serious human resources challenge, hinder economic development efforts, and prevent the province from achieving its population growth targets.

The committee's mandate is to make Fredericton a physician-friendly city. To accomplish this, committee members have identified five priority focus areas:

Office space
The Invest Fredericton website maintains an up-to-date list of available commercial real estate. We are in the process of updating this site with search options tailored specifically to physicians.

Administrative management
Because many physicians identify the administrative aspects of running a practice as an unwelcome strain, we will work to put new physicians in touch with local companies that can assist with billing, patient record maintenance, and other administrative tasks.

Spousal employment
We know that many physicians will choose a community to practice in based on the opportunities that will be available to their spouse/partner. To assist with this, we will work with local recruitment agencies, human resources managers, major employers, and government to connect spouses/partners to the local job market and put them in touch with the people who make hiring decisions.

Policy and research
Because we know that several factors can influence a physician's choice of where to practice, we will work with physicians to better understand the factors that determine decision-making, and how these factors are prioritized. This component involves working with physicians already practicing in the area, residents, and those considering relocating to Fredericton.

A Welcoming and Open Community
Because one of the primary goals of this initiative is to make Fredericton a destination of choice for physicians, we are committed to showing anyone interested in practicing in Fredericton everything that the city has to offer. Currently, this involves providing information packages, welcome packages, guided tours of the city, and hosting receptions for residents and local physicians.