The Ministry of Health is welcoming some new doctors to the Interior, and three of them are practicing medicine in the Central and South Cariboo.
One new doctor will join medical clinics in 100 Mile House, while two new doctors will practice in Williams Lake.
The Ministry announced the recruitment on March 6, after completing the Practice Ready Assessment-BC (PRA-BC) program, a partnership between the provincial government and Doctors of BC.
Doctors in the program undergo a three-month assessment process working with a B.C. physician evaluating their skills as they care for patients.
Health Minister Terry Lake says the PRA-BC program strengthens health-care services in rural and remote communities throughout British Columbia.
"Doctors in small communities not only contribute to the health and wellness of their patients, but to the community itself."
Across B.C., 14 additional internationally trained physicians will begin practising in rural and remote communities throughout the province, including five family doctors in the Interior region (in addition to the Cariboo, the other new recruits are in Nelson and Enderby).
Central Interior Rural Division (CIRD) project manager Jill Zimonick says 100 Mile House is welcoming Dr. Helen Imolele, who is joining Cariboo Clinic (in Cariboo Mall).
"I am very glad I chose this place because it really felt like home — the very moment I stepped my feet in this community, the very first day," says Dr. Imolele. "I was just amazed by the overwhelming support I got from the community and even the neighbouring communities. They helped my family and me, they helped us to really settle in and I really appreciate that. It couldn't have been better anywhere else."
Dr. Imolele is originally from Nigeria and moved with her husband and four children to 100 Mile House.
"Thanks to the community members, they really did their best to help secure a place for us to live and to help," she says.
Dr. Imolele is currently accepting new patients at the Cariboo Clinic.
"The successful recruitment of new family doctors to the Cariboo region is the result of the joint effort of a number of partners, including the B.C. government, Doctors of BC, Interior Health and the Central Interior Rural Division of Family Practice," says Zimonick.
Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett says the communities are excited to welcome new doctors.
"The Cariboo Chilcotin offers no shortage of exciting activities. It doesn't take long to fall in love with our beautiful part of B.C."
The release also states these new physicians have successfully completed the program and have committed to practice for a minimum of three years in their designated rural community, and either began practising this month, or are in the process of establishing their practices.
This is the fourth group of internationally trained family doctors to be granted licenses to practice in B.C. after going through the PRA-BC program – for a total of 53 new family doctors across the province.