Local trio return from road trip looking for family physicians
Don’t call them The Three Musketeers, but they did go on an adventure- an expedition looking for family doctors at the Dal Family Medicine Resident Retreat in St Andrews, N.B., on Sept. 20.
Tina Hennigar, population growth coordinator for NOW Lunenburg County, along with Alison Clements, development officer for the Health Services Foundation of the Shore Shore and local physician,dr. Sarah Tennant, partnered up to attend the resident retreat. This was the second retreat they attended together, the first was held last year in Digby.
“In Digby, it was evident pretty quickly how valuable having a local doctor there was to our effort,” said Hennigar about their first event and having Tennant attend with them. “We were thrilled that she was able to join us again.”
The trio carpooled the day before the session, then set up their “Create a Life You Love” booth, highlighting all that the region has to offer physicians and their families, where visitors to their booth could take a copy of the second edition of NOW Lunenburg County’s magazine.
“Nearly every community in the Maritimes was there to showcase their community. Had we not been there it would have been a missed opportunity.” Clements estimated they spoke to a third of the 140 attendants.
They heard from many young and enthusiastic residents who will be coming to Lunenburg County for learning opportunities, for things such as electives and Rural Week, where second year medical students shadow local doctors for a week, and many were also interested in locuming in the area.
“Locums are great opportunities for physicians to come and practice in a practice or emergency department short term,” Tennant explained. “It gives them the unique ability to experience many different places until they know where they want to settle, while at the same time, it helps fill a need in the community. Once they see how great Lunenburg County is, our hope is that they will move here long-term.”
They heard from many who talked of the need for housing, employment for spouses; even doggie-daycare came up as a perceived barrier. Hennigar reassured them that there are already “boots on the street” ready to help them.
“We’ve been at this a while, and we are well connected with the community and can help connect these residents to what they need,” Hennigar said.
Tennant said this type of recruitment definitely helps.
”Recruitment is a team process. I felt useful as I was able to answer questions that only a physician can answer. I think it shows the residents that the physician community cares enough to show up.” She said it also reminded her of all the reasons she loves living in Lunenburg County - so, a success on many levels.
To learn more about NOW Lunenburg County’s doctor attraction strategy, go to
www.nowlunenburgcounty. com/doctor-attraction