The physician orientation initiative helps physicians practising in Canada for the first time successfully integrate into the healthcare system.
Physicians trained outside Canada have identified the need for a robust orientation program to support their integration into medical practice in the Canadian context.
The orientation program aims to address gaps in the onboarding experience of newly licensed physicians.
Orientation for physicians trained outside of Canada is provided by the Welcome Collaborative, which includes representatives from:
College of Physicians & Surgeons of Nova Scotia;
Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS);
Doctors Nova Scotia;
Nova Scotia Health;
Nova Scotia Prescription Monitoring Program, and
Dalhousie Medicine Continuing Professional Development and Medical Education (CPDME).
The three-day orientation session covers topics such as:
identifying, acknowledging, and overcoming barriers to practice in Nova Scotia;
MSI billing;
communication skills training, and
settlement resources for physicians and their families.
In October 2022, the Welcome Collaborative successfully delivered a pilot orientation session with a cohort of eight physicians.
