With Burns Lake soon to be down to zero full-time doctors, a lot of work is being put into raising awareness of working in Northern B.C. as a medical professional.
A recent joint effort between Northern Health (NH), the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), and regional partners, came through Burns Lake last week. The Healthcare Travelling Roadshow brought young healthcare professional students and highschool students together.
The idea is twofold; first, to get local students throughout the region thinking about a career in medicine; and second, to give soon-to-be working professionals a taste of rural life that might entice them to consider a medical career in the north.
Eleven healthcare students from UNBC, the University of British Columbia, and the College of New Caledonia spent two days in Burns Lake. They also visited Southside, Fraser Lake, Vanderhoof and Fort St. James over the six day schedule.
“They vary in age from their early twenties to their late forties,” Dr. Sean Maurice said. “The group loved their time in Burns Lake. I think initiatives like this are exactly what we need to help our healthcare students to consider taking electives and possibly settling in a rural or remote community for their career.”
Maurice is affiliated with both UNBC and UBC faculties of medicine, and is the program co-ordinator.
“We want new grads to get a feel for life in Northern communities,” he said “Local communities are giving us an introduction to what they have to offer young professionals.”
During their two-day stay in Burns Lake, the group enjoyed some canoe paddling on Burns Lake, and dinner with Mayor Luke Strimbold and other local organizers. On their final day, they were taken up to Kager lake for some mountain biking and hiking.
“It offered the health care students an opportunity to learn more about the variety of health care deliveries in the Lakes District,” Strimbold said. “They toured health care facilities, the hospital, and clinics which hopefully inspired them to think about the Lakes District when they are looking for a career.”
One strong selling point from the point of view of doctor recruitment is the construction of a new hospital in Burns Lake.
“Of course the new hospital was a topic of discussion and recruitment,” Strimbold added. “The students were quite intrigued by the design of our new hospital and the services that will be provided.”
Local Lakes District Secondary School teacher Patti Dube was impressed with how well students and medical students interacted.
“I think the high school students responded really well to the university students,” Dube observed. “I hope to see this happen again next year.”