Working in the far north, on reserves, etc.

[wheaties]

After graduating, I am potentially interested in working in the north in remote communities or on reserves. My girlfriend was quizzing me about how this would work for us if we wanted to be based in a semi-urban setting on a regular basis.

 

Could you have a regular practice in an urban setting and go up north for a few weeks at a time? How would you go about finding these opportunities? Are you paid on a FFS basis or are there other contracts that the provinces put out for this sort of work? Any personal experiences to share?

 

Thanks for any input. I'm just starting med, so this is more curiosity and I'm sure I'll learn more about this as time goes on!

[ghost dog]

After graduating, I am potentially interested in working in the north in remote communities or on reserves. My girlfriend was quizzing me about how this would work for us if we wanted to be based in a semi-urban setting on a regular basis.

 

Could you have a regular practice in an urban setting and go up north for a few weeks at a time? How would you go about finding these opportunities? Are you paid on a FFS basis or are there other contracts that the provinces put out for this sort of work? Any personal experiences to share?

 

Thanks for any input. I'm just starting med, so this is more curiosity and I'm sure I'll learn more about this as time goes on!

 

I kind of doubt it. From a practical viewpoint, how would you go back and forth, if you are going to be a significant distance from an urban centre / your home base?

 

The only exception might be if you are pulling shifts in a small cottage ER somewhere. I have seen this done before; actually, this is what a lot of family docs without the 2+1 do.

 

For a rural family practice you would have to make a bigger time commitment, and likely this would be your only practice.

[Lactic Folly]

I know people who use vacation time for locums.. feasibility dependent on specialty, opportunities found through word-of-mouth or inquiry.

[Wayward son]

OP, there are many nursing, paramedic and other allied health jobs were employees spend several weeks (2 weeks, 6 weeks 8 weeks depending on the job) in remote communities and then return to the city they live in for a comparable period of time. I have no idea whether or not similar contracts exist for doctors. If you are looking Ontario-wise, I would say the best thing would be to talk to doctors who work out of Sioux Lookout (in Northwestern Ontario) or Moosonee (in Northeastern Ontario). Of course, if they exist now that does not mean that they will 10 years down the road, and if they don't exist now that doe not meant that will not 10 years down the road.

[coastalslacker]

I was talking to an anaesthetist this week who goes to moose factory for a week at a time, a few times a year. There are opportunities to go to the yukon, NWT and do ER shifts for periods of time - ie a week, two weeks; I would assume these opportunites are available in slightly less north, but still far north, communities as well. Finally, I know several surgeons who will go up north once a month so that patients don't have to travel.

[Dany]

My preceptor of ER does exclusively ER in the far North by lumps of 4-5 wks

he has done this for quite a few years

 

as for family practice in rural settings, I know somewhere in Northern Quebec, fam docs can also do clinics by periods of 6 wks

 

it would be even more doable if your girlfriend is a healthworker too

[leviathan]

You can go up to Iqaluit, Nunavut for GP or ER shifts and they pay quite well.

http://www.nunavut-physicians.gov.nu.ca/iqtext.shtml

[Jochi1543]

You can go up to Iqaluit, Nunavut for GP or ER shifts and they pay quite well.

http://www.nunavut-physicians.gov.nu.ca/iqtext.shtml

 

Dead link, yo.

[leviathan]

Dead link, yo.

I figured it was just temporarily down. You can click the cached version from Google anyway.

[wheaties]

Thanks for the helpful responses! Sounds like it should be possible to do.