Do you have a family doctor or primary care provider? For 36,500 people in Barrie and area, the answer is no.
Getting new doctors close to home is one way to close this gap, giving local families better access to ongoing and proactive healthcare. As communities across Simcoe Muskoka work to improve access to primary care, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) is helping grow the next generation of family physicians and encouraging more doctors to build their careers in the region
Several new family doctors are expected to begin practicing in Barrie and area this fall after completing their training with the Family Medicine Teaching Unit (FMTU) in Barrie, a collaboration between RVH and the University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine.
The Barrie FMTU program provides resident physicians with hands-on training in both community and hospital settings, under the guidance of RVH clinicians, as they complete the final two years of their family medicine residency. This experience equips resident physicians with the skills, experience and community connections needed for their own future practice while helping address the growing need for primary care across the region.
“We know access to primary care is a challenge for many people in our community, and we know RVH can have a role in alleviating that,” says Dr. Jeffrey Tyberg, Chief of Staff and Vice President, Academic & Medical Affairs. “By continuing our collaborative partnership with the University of Toronto, we’re bringing skilled resident physicians to our region and training the next generation of family doctors. It’s important work that we’re proud to be a part of.”
As part of the process to expand its role in medical education and training, RVH helps these residents grow into confident and compassionate physicians while becoming invested in the community along the way.
Of the eight resident physicians graduating from the Barrie FMTU this summer, six are planning to stay and practice locally. Dr. Cezara Ene is one of them.
“I had a very positive experience at RVH and the Barrie FMTU. I’m grateful to all of the preceptors for their time, effort, and support throughout residency,” says Dr. Ene. “I couldn’t have asked for a better residency program and can’t imagine training anywhere else.”
What really stuck out to Dr. Ene was the sense of community and connection she found at RVH. “The sense of camaraderie was so impactful,” she says. “As we enter independent practice, it’s been very reassuring to know that there is a strong community around us.”
It is this strong connection to the community, along with diverse learning opportunities in real-world care settings that allows RVH’s FMTU continue to attract talented resident physicians from across the province – residents like this year’s incoming Drs. Bayan Khorsandnia, Bhavika Mandi, Chad Turner, Eric Wang, Leah Kogan, M. Shayyan Wasim, Marianne Wauchop, Navah Ball, Pegah Fatemi, and Robert Khatib to the FMTU in Barrie.
“We look forward to working with and growing alongside our incoming residents during their time with us. Our program places top-notch academics and training in the context of genuine community care,” says Dr. Melissa Witty, Staff Physician and Site Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program. “This dynamic creates skilled and well-rounded family doctors ready to provide care close to home. It’s a unique learning environment, and one that improves outcomes for patients in our region.”
RVH extends thanks and congratulations to the graduating residents, Drs. Cezara Ene, Muzna Bano, Rylie Essington, Daniel Friedberg, Chris John, Dhurga Vaikunthan, Noah Yang and Sharon Yang.
Dr. Ene and the five other graduates who plan to practice in Barrie and area this year will help to keep local families healthier, reduce pressures on emergency department services and improve community well-being.
Anyone looking for a family doctor or nurse practitioner are encouraged to register with Health Care Connect. The free provincial program is the fastest way to be matched with a primary care provider in the region, and with new providers accepting patients, now is the time to register.
As Simcoe Muskoka continues to grow, RVH is helping build the physician workforce that communities need by training and supporting the next generation of family doctors, creating more opportunities for residents to access care and helping communities thrive for years to come.
