The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services:

Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine Recognized for Excellence in Rural Medicine

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to offer congratulations on behalf of the Premier and the Provincial Government to Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine. Memorial has been awarded the prestigious Keith Award for having the most effective postgraduate rural family medicine program in Canada.

The award, given annually by the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada, recognizes medical schools that graduate a significant number of practising rural physicians. Memorial’s Faculty of Medicine was selected for this honour for having the highest number of doctors in rural practice 10 years after graduation in comparison to all other family medicine training programs across the country. Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine continues to excel in this area, having also received the Keith Award in 2000, 2002, and 2010.

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes the importance of encouraging medical students to enter rural practice. Of the 1,115 physicians currently practising in Newfoundland and Labrador, approximately 45 per cent are working outside of the Northeast Avalon.

We invest over $2.1 million per year on bursaries to attract medical students and residents to provide return in service to the province. We continue to provide accommodations for medical students in rural areas of Newfoundland and Labrador and work with the Faculty of Medicine and the regional health authorities to meet present accommodation standards.

Students tell us that if they have a positive experience during their rural placement, they are more likely to practice in rural communities. Our medical school’s success in this area can also be attributed to the fact that approximately 40 per cent of students are from rural communities versus the Canadian average of 11 per cent.

We will continue to build on the successes acknowledged in this prestigious award. I congratulate Dr. James Rourke, Dean of Medicine, and the faculty at Memorial’s medical school for their efforts in delivering exemplary training in the preparation of our rural doctors.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

2013 03 07             1:50 p.m.