Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) continues its important work of training new family doctors as another group of residents begin their final two years of training in the health centre’s Family Medicine Teaching Unit (FMTU).
The program, which is affiliated with the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine, recently welcomed nine new family medicine resident physicians to the FMTU’s residency program.
“These residents will have the opportunity to practice medicine with a full caseload of patients while gaining invaluable knowledge as they work alongside RVH’s many skilled physicians,” says Dr. Christine Stewart, Site Director, Family Medicine Residency Program at RVH. “It is an extraordinary environment in which to learn to become comprehensive and well-trained family physicians.”
“This is a fantastic residency program because we get to work with multi-disciplinarians, become comprehensive, well rounded physicians who can best serve our community” says new resident Dr Jahmal Brooks. “I have family in Barrie. Being able to integrate into my local health care system is very rewarding”.
Since the program began in 2009, 99 family medicine residents have trained at RVH, with 61 staying in the area to set up their own practices, provide temporary coverage for area physicians or work in the health centre’s Emergency and Hospitalist departments.
“As a teaching hospital we merge education and healthcare excellence to have a significant, positive impact on our community. We are pleased to welcome these new residents,” says Gail Hunt, RVH president and CEO. “Many physicians who have completed their training at RVH have gone on to establish practices in the area which has helped meet some of the demand for family physicians. As we focus our efforts on increasing the teaching and research opportunities available at RVH, we plan to continue growing, and hopefully keeping, exceptional physicians in this region.”
RVH welcomes Drs. Ijeoma Azodoh, Jahmal Brooks, Joshua Clayton, Karyssa Hamann, Jeremiah Joo, Ravjot Julka, Rae Ma, Imelda Suen and Reid Rebinksy.
In addition to welcoming the new residents, RVH also extends congratulations to the residents who graduated from the program this year including Drs. Liane Bailey, Kaitlyn Bertram, Adrian Bulfon, Nicola Colterjohn, Kishor Johnson, Michael Verdirame and Shirley Tauro.