Fredericton Chamber hosts physicians at local gallery
Chamber tries to woo future doctors
Published Tuesday February 24th, 2009
By Stephen Llewellyn
llewellyn.stephen@dailygleaner.com
When Dr. Kari Van Middlesworth makes her decision on where to set up her family medical practice,
she will know in advance everything Fredericton has to offer.
Van Middlesworth, a second-year family medicine resident at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional
Hospital, was one of nine medical residents who attended a reception Saturday night sponsored by the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce.
"I really was impressed by what they had to say," the Winnipeg native said Monday. "I think it is a great idea.
"It is something that is currently lacking and that, I think, will be great assistance to people coming into
the community and trying to get started."
The reception was held at Gallery 78, and in addition to the medical residents, it attracted local
doctors and members of the chamber of commerce. About 25 people attended the event that's part
of the chamber's physician-recruitment drive that started in August.
"We had a lot of good discussion and opportunities to find out what some of the motivations are for
some of our younger potential new physicians," said chamber CEO Anthony Knight.
He said the chamber was delighted to learn that some residents are planning to set up practice in
Fredericton.
Knight said a similar event is planned for September, when the next group of medical residents arrives. The chamber is also planning to set up a website for potential doctors.
"We recognize that a number of employees and employers are challenged in the area of (access to)
health care," said Knight.
Access to health care is key to attracting skilled workers to the capital, he said.
"We need every highly skilled, capable individual we can get for the city," said Knight.
The chamber isn't offering cash incentives for doctors, he said, but some local businesses will offer in-kind incentives.
"We are very close to announcing several of those companies," said Knight.
The campaign doesn't have a specific goal in terms of how many doctors the chamber wants to recruit, he said. A goal will be set in the next year or so, he said.
Knight said his understanding is that Fredericton is relatively competitive in terms of pay for doctors.
He said the chamber wants to make sure new doctors know what the capital has to offer in other
areas, such as office space, administrative support and partnerships with other doctors.
"We are hoping we can act as a bit of catalyst for these opportunities," he said.
Knight said doctors' reaction to the chamber's initiative has been positive.
"The residents indicated that they felt very welcome in our community and this reception had a lot to
do with it," he said.
Van Middlesworth said she will look at more than salary when she finishes her residency and has to
decide where to establish her practice.
"When you are going through the process (of deciding), a lot of people talk about throwing money at
the residents," she said. "That is the traditional way.
"The three things you look at are your working environment, your life outside of medicine and then
whether it is somewhere you want to live from the family perspective."
There isn't much the chamber can do about the last issue.
"That is something you either have or you don't have," she said.
Van Middlesworth wouldn't say if Fredericton would be on her short list as a possible place to set
up practice.
University of New Brunswick economics professor David Murrell said he isn't surprised that the
chamber of commerce is getting involved in recruiting doctors.
He said recruiting enough doctors is important for the city's competitiveness to grow.
"We do have a family doctor shortage," he said. "There is a school of thought that says skilled
professionals and entrepreneurs and small businesses ... and corporations, when they migrate ... want good public (health) services," he said.
"If we could reduce the number of families without doctors that would be a good attraction."
Murrell said access to health care is just as important as good schools and low taxes when it comes to economic development.
"It goes hand in hand," he said.
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