More family doctors on the way for Alberta

Comment on this story

Posted July 8, 2010

By Kyle Glennie

Dr. Andrea Hargrove and Dr. Kristine Bertsch will soon begin practicing family medicine in Alberta Southern Alberta is getting an injection of some much needed family doctors, thanks to the Faculty of Medicine and the latest group of residents who graduated at the end of June.  A total of 51 doctors who completed their residency in family medicine are entering the workforce, the majority of which have decided to stay and work in Alberta. 

“We’re very proud of our residents and excited that so many are choosing to practice in Alberta,” says Dr. Cathy MacLean, head of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Calgary.  “We’re working hard to create more interest in family medicine as a career choice for medical students and to expand our residency positions in order to train more family physicians for Calgary and southern Alberta.”

One such resident who just graduated is Dr. Kristine Bertsch, who’ll soon be working at the Crowfoot Village Family Practice clinic in northwest Calgary.  “I actually did some of my residency at the clinic, and they asked me to stay on after my residency was finished and I agreed.”  For most residents in the Alberta, getting a job is just that easy. “Most of us by the time we’ve graduated have received many offers because there is such a need for family doctors in Alberta,” Bertsch explains.  “This is one of the great draws of family medicine, knowing that you’re likely never going to be out of work.  You’re spoiled for choice, really.”

The graduating residents aren’t all staying in big cities though.  Many, like Dr. Andrea Hargrove, have decided to practice medicine in rural locations.  “Over my two year residency I’ve spent 10 months in rural locations.  All were very interesting places, and you deliver babies, you work in emergency, you have in-patients. It’s really been great training.”

Hargrove’s immediate future is in the Alberta Rural Locum program, where she will serve as a replacement doctor for current rural physicians who will be taking holidays and other leaves from their clinics.  “It’s a great program because you learn something different every place you go, whether it is medically or learning the business side of medicine. I’m looking forward to exploring some places and eventually finding where is best for me.”

Whether it’s practicing in an urban or rural location, both doctors agree that Alberta is one of the best places to work as a doctor.

“The draw to stay in Alberta is very strong,” admits Bertsch.  “You figure out quickly the job opportunities and the potential scope of practice is really broad, and the pay and resources are very good.  I never thought twice about where I was going to practice, it was always going to be in Alberta.”