Season 3, Episode 6
Healthcare systems across Manitoba—and Canada—are facing a critical challenge: a shortage of doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals. In this episode, we explore the root causes of this crisis, and dive into our guests’ big ideas to help solve it.
Just as there is a family physician designation in Canada, Dr. Aaron Jattan argues that there should be one for rural doctors, recognizing the extra training and skills needed in this role.
Dr. Peter Nickerson believes we need a distributed education model to train learners across the province. With Winnipeg exceeding its training capacity, rural communities who want physicians need to invest in training them locally.
Expanding training programs is a step in the right direction, but long-term solutions to multi-faceted problems require strategic planning, policy changes, and investment in retention efforts. Tune in to hear how Manitoba is working to address these challenges—and what more can be done.
About Dr. Jattan
About Dr. Nickerson
About What’s the Big Idea?
What’s the Big Idea? is an award-winning podcast hosted by University of Manitoba President Michael Benarroch. Each episode features conversations with big thinkers from the UM community who are contributing to the cultural, social, and economic well-being of people everywhere. It is produced by the University of Manitoba in partnership with Everything Podcasts.
Links and Resources
Sources
How this med school is tackling the rural doctor shortage, CBC News, The National, June 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqdU0OzF6-4
Manitoba needs to do more to woo doctors to rural northern communities, CBC News, Feb 2023
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/rural-er-docs-are-struggling-to-do-it-all-peer-support-programs-try-to-lessen-the-load-1.6735155
Doctors Manitoba ‘optimistic’ about rural health care changes outlined in new report, Global News, October 2022
https://globalnews.ca/news/9233856/doctors-manitoba-optimistic-rural-health-care-changes/
Music
Adrenaline Rush by Will Bonness, Associate Professor, Desautels Faculty of Music.
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What’s the Big Idea? is a University of Manitoba production, created in partnership with Everything Podcasts.