Role and Facility Information

Merritt BC: Where professional diversity meets a recreational lifestyle.

Seeking a physician to join a 4-physician clinic that is fully computerized and paperless with a MedAccess EMR. The office has 6 examination rooms plus a procedure room for minor procedures. Office hours are 0800-1700, with flexible work hours and virtual care options. The clinic is in the downtown core, less than 2 km from the hospital. Local physicians with hospital privileges have a choice of shifts in the ED along with a team of regular Locums. Local physicians with hospital privileges rotate through inpatient call, currently 1/6. Merritt currently has 7 physicians and one nurse practitioner.

It is an honour to live, work, and practice on the traditional territories of the Nlaka'pamux and Syilx Nations, within the biodiverse Nicola Valley. Merritt is centrally located on the Coquihalla Highway between the Fraser Valley, Kamloops, and Kelowna. At an elevation of 595 meters, this rural city enjoys snowy winters and hot, sunny summers. There are endless wilderness trails, campsites, lakes, rivers, and forests for four season outdoor recreation. The town enjoys a steady influx of people relocating from urban areas attracted to the quality of life, affordable housing, accessibility to services, and abundance of leisure opportunities. Trade an hour per day in urban city traffic for 2 extra weeks per year to play outside in a rural community!

Rural Generalists have the opportunity to practice family medicine while advancing skills in the emergency department and leading local health programs. Nicola Valley Hospital is a community hospital with a 24-hour ED. This facility has 10 acute-care beds along with a new 10 bed emergency room. The hospital serves a population of approximately 12,000 people plus travelers. The hospital also provides inpatient and outpatient services for laboratory, ECG service, radiology, physiotherapy, spirometry, mental health and opioid antagonist therapy. Facility Engagement has recently upgraded the staff room and private physician lounge at the hospital.

Additional services include home care, public health, diabetes education and dietitian coaching. Gillis House is a local residential care facility managed by Interior Health, approximately 3 km from the hospital. Kamloops is the nearest tertiary referral site, approximately 45 minutes away. Some patients (mostly cardiac) are sent to Kelowna, approximately 1.5 hours away. In critical situations, the High Acuity Response Team (HART) or a helicopter can transfer patients to a higher level of care.

Professional development and rural supports may include:

• NAVIG8 Emerging Physician Leaders Program for emerging medical leaders interested in leadership roles

• Rural Physician Mentoring Program for physicians new to rural practice

• Rural Education Action Plan (REAP) for skills upgrading and advanced training

• Real Time Virtual Support pathways (RTVS) for immediate specialist consultations

• Rural Emergency Enhancement Fund (REEF) providing up to $65,000 per annum per fee-for-service physician supporting IHA-designated Eds

• Rural Retention Program (RRP) funding premium for physicians working in a community covered under the Rural Practice Subsidiary Agreement

• Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice membership and local support

Apply today to live work and play where others only vacation. It's better here!

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Terms

Benefits and Incentives

May be eligible for additional remuneration in accordance with the Rural Subsidiary Agreement (RSA) including:

Retention Premium

12.5%

Retention Flat Fee

$18,962

Relocation Funding Available

$9,000-$15,000 depending on move location

Recruitment Incentive

$15,000

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