PALMERSTON – A new family doctor in rural Wellington County is part of a group of internationally trained physicians who will be practicing in rural and northern communities through a provincial program.
Provincial health minister Sylvia Jones was in Palmerston Thursday afternoon to announce Ontario would be adding up to 100 new family doctors in rural and northern communities.
Through the Practice Ready Ontario program, foreign-trained doctors can become licensed more quickly as it removes the requirement for what Jones called “unnecessary reeducation.”
“This program breaks down barriers for highly skilled, internationally educated doctors with experience practicing family medicine,” Jones said at the announcement.
Each doctor in the program must complete a 12-week assessment to ensure they have the skills and competencies to be a family physician. A news release said through this program the internationally trained doctors are required to complete a three-year return of service as a family doctor in rural or northern communities.
Dr. Narah Luzinga is part of the first cohort of 28 of these physicians through the Practice Ready Ontario program and will be joining the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team as a family physician in Palmerston.
“This program represents a significant milestone in my journey toward practicing medicine in Canada and I am deeply grateful for the chance to contribute to the health system of this country,” Luzinga said at the announcement.
The provincial news release said it expects the Practice Ready Ontario program will be able to connect an additional 120,000 people to primary care. The rest of the physicians are expected to complete the program in 2025.
“This is another example of our government working to expand primary care access in rural Ontario,” said Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae, in a press release. “Whether it is family physicians or nurse practitioners, we are ensuring more people in Ontario have access to the care they need, closer to home. It is great to see local organizations like Minto Mapleton Family Health Team leading this charge.”
