January 11, 2005

Withthe new Northern Medical Program now underway, health care providersand educators are continuing to focus on meeting the needs of northerncommunities for various health care occupations. UNBC is joining withNorthern Health, the College of New Caledonia, Northern Lights College,and Northwest Community College  to identify northern BC’spriority education and training needs in health care professions anddevelop a plan for resolving shortages.

The one-year study is being funded by Human Resources and SkillsDevelopment Canada and will include public meetings and surveys,statistics on demand and usage of various health care services, andchanges in wait lists and wait times. It is expected that meetings andinterviews will be conducted in the Cariboo, Northwest, PeaceRiver-Liard, the Bulkley Valley, Prince George, and the Robson Valley.Parents, the elderly, health care practitioners, and aboriginalcitizens will be among the groups consulted.

"The new medical program here is a good example of how UNBC, UBC,and Northern Health have worked together to design and implement aprogram clearly focused on educating physicians who have the skills andattitude to work in northern and rural communities," says Jim Randall,Dean of Arts, Social, and Health Sciences at UNBC. “But we shouldn’tneed to organize rallies around the region to articulate our healthservice needs. This study will provide advice on training needs andidentify partnerships that help to resolve them."

"Northern Health and our educational institutions clearlyshare a vision of the north becoming a centre of excellence in ruraland remote health care," said Harry Gairns, NH Board Chair. "This studywill set the foundation for enhanced training opportunities for healthprofessional in our region, bringing us closer to achieving that goal."

Although the colleges and the University offer a number of diplomaand degree programs in a variety of health service professions,shortages continue to be communicated by northern residents. Theseinclude physiotherapists, nurses, speech pathologists, lab specialists,and radiation technologists. The new study will identify the regionalpriorities for health education. The research is beginning this month.