Retreat underscores rural doctor shortage

As rural and northern communities across Manitoba grapple with access to health care, Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) used a recent University of Manitoba Family Medicine Residents Retreat (Sept. 19-21) to shine a spotlight on the urgent need to recruit doctors outside urban centres.

With 128 family medicine residents from across the province in Brandon, PMH saw the retreat as more than just training and networking, it was a critical recruitment tool for communities that continue to be under served.

Manitoba is facing a significant physician shortage, particularly in family medicine. A 2024 update from Doctors Manitoba reported that the province has 219 physicians per 100,000 residents, still the second-lowest supply in the country, despite a slight two per cent increase from the previous year according to Doctors Manitoba’s Physician Resources in Manitoba: 2024 Update.

To reach the national average, Manitoba would need 346 more doctors. The situation is especially acute in primary care: Manitoba currently ranks last in the country for family physicians per capita, according to the 2024 report.

The challenge is compounded by looming retirements. The Doctors Manitoba report also notes that in the next three years an estimated 688 physicians, about 20 per cent of Manitoba’s active physician workforce, are considering retiring, relocating or reducing their clinical hours.

For rural regions, these statistics translate into more severe gaps. A 2023 study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal noted that rural residents already experience longer travel distances, fewer available doctors and higher stress on those who remain practising.

RETREAT AS PART OF SOLUTION

Against that backdrop, PMH’s retreat was designed with recruitment front and centre. A Friday evening job fair connected residents with clinics, regional health authorities, and community recruitment groups, all pitching their communities as rewarding places to build a medical career.

PMH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Adrian Fung said the event is about building long-term connections.

“We’ll meet and discuss opportunities with residents and their spouses. We’ll make a point of following up on conversations about practice options … We have a lot to offer.”

For many residents, hesitation around rural practice often stems from uncertainty, said Darlene Gray, Physician Recruitment and Retention Co-ordinator with PMH.

“Barriers often include family considerations and, more generally, a lack of exposure to rural communities. Many residents don’t realize what rural communities have to offer or how close they often are to larger centres. That’s why events like this retreat, Rural Week in May, and the Student Rural Interest Group in the winter are so important.”

Gray added that once residents spend time in rural Manitoba, many are surprised by what they find.

“We often hear comments like, ‘Oh, you have that here?’ usually in reference to services they didn’t expect to find outside a larger city. Residents also notice the strong teamwork and camaraderie that exists in rural medicine.”

The theme of the retreat, “Rural Medicine – Endless Horizons” is also a recruitment message. PMH CEO Treena Slate said rural practice offers both professional variety and personal fulfillment.

“From diverse practice opportunities to rewarding team-based care, and from open landscapes to welcoming communities, the horizons are truly endless. We have great facilities, excellent communities and rural beauty. It almost sells itself.”

Gray emphasized that recruitment is not just about the physician, but also about the whole family.

“Health-care recruitment, including physician recruitment, is everybody’s business. Sometimes we’re not only recruiting a doctor, but also helping a spouse find work, or answering family questions about schools, extracurricular activities and other supports. One of our strengths collectively is showing off lifestyle opportunities and how rewarding rural practice can be.”

Sponsors of this year’s retreat included communities from across PMH’s territory, including Deloraine-Winchester, Glenboro, Grandview, Hamiota, Killarney, Neepawa, Minnedosa, Rossburn, Virden, the Swan Valley Medical Professional Recruitment and Retention Committee, Yellowhead Medical Clinic in Shoal Lake and the City of Brandon.

These municipalities, like many across rural Manitoba, were eager to highlight not only career opportunities but also lifestyle advantages such as affordable housing, family-friendly amenities, and the close-knit nature of small communities.

For residents of Prairie Mountain Health and other rural regions, these statistics are not abstract. When doctors are in short supply, patients face longer wait times, long-distance travel for primary or emergency care, and in some cases, go without medical attention altogether. Doctors Manitoba has warned that systemic change is required to avoid further erosion of health care outside Winnipeg.

Dr. Fung emphasized that the retreat is one step toward addressing this challenge.

“We are fortunate and appreciative to have many local physicians and community members assisting over the weekend. But long-term, what really matters is making connections that lead to new doctors choosing our communities as home.”

Gray agreed, stressing that those connections are the foundation of recruitment.

“No matter where a physician is from, connecting them with communities is key. We’ll keep building on those partnerships and encouraging residents to experience and enjoy ‘our good nature.’”

PMH last hosted the retreat in 2022. By bringing residents and rural communities together again in Brandon, organizers hope to plant the seeds for future recruitment at a time when Manitoba’s physician supply remains among the lowest in Canada.

For communities across Prairie Mountain Health, the message is clear: the future of local health care depends on convincing the next generation of doctors that rural medicine is not only viable, but vital.

» Winnipeg Sun