Medical doctors and nurses in the USA: British Columbia needs to rent you.
That’s the “clear message” B.C. Well being Minister Josie Osborne delivered Tuesday, as she mentioned the province will fast-track the popularity of American health-care employees’ credentials.
“Now’s the time to come back to B.C. We are going to welcome you to our lovely province,” Osborne mentioned.
The province can also be launching a focused recruitment marketing campaign in Washington, Oregon and California because it seeks to woo disaffected health-care employees amid turbulence south of the border.
“Over the previous few weeks, we’ve got seen extra U.S. docs and nurses expressing curiosity to come back right here in Canada to work, and with the uncertainty and chaos that’s taking place down south of the border, it actually doesn’t come as a shock,” Osborne mentioned.
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“Whether or not it’s as a result of their federal authorities is withdrawing from the World Well being Group, slicing public companies or attacking reproductive rights, well being professionals within the U.S. have a great purpose to be alarmed.”
Beneath the plan, Osborne mentioned U.S.-trained and American Board of Medical Specialities-certified physicians may turn out to be absolutely licensed in B.C. with out requiring additional evaluation, examination or coaching.
The province hopes to roll out the modifications, just like measures applied in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, inside months, pending the approval of recent bylaws on the B.C. School of Physicians and Surgeons.
Osborne mentioned one other main change will quickly enable U.S.-trained nurses to use immediately for registration with the B.C. School of Nurses and Midwives, without having any additional evaluation by a 3rd social gathering.
That change, she mentioned, would enable U.S. nurses to be licensed inside a interval of weeks, as a substitute of the present months-long wait.
The modifications comply with efforts by the B.C. authorities to shore up its overburdened major care system. Osborne mentioned the brand new physician pay mannequin applied in 2023 has seen B.C. add 1,001 new household docs, and join 1 / 4 million individuals to a doctor or nurse practitioner final 12 months.
“The work we’ve got been doing to assist major care has resulted in a lot of docs beginning up and coming again to household observe, it’s actually thrilling,” Medical doctors of B.C. president Dr. Charlene Lui mentioned.
“With this announcement, we’re excited to make accelerated progress on entry to specialty care, emergency rooms and rural well being take care of British Columbians.”
Osborne mentioned the advertising blitz in coastal U.S. states is slated to start this spring and can spotlight job alternatives in key areas together with most cancers care, emergency departments and rural communities.
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