The City of Belleville has a long-established and very successful family physician recruitment program that has recently expanded to offer more opportunities for physicians wanting to practice in our beautiful, welcoming community.
Family physicians, certain specialist physicians, Emergency Room physicians, International Medical Graduates and Nurse Practitioners are now able to apply to our program at almost any stage – student, resident, locum or fully graduated candidates can easily apply by speaking with our Manager of Physician Recruitment and Retention.
The general details of the program for each discipline are noted below:
Family Physician:
A $150,000 incentive is offered to a student, resident or locum that is interested in establishing a clinic-based practice in Belleville. The program provides $25,000/year for six years in return for a five-year commitment of service to the community. Applicants are eligible from their first day of residency right up until they establish their own practice in another location. The program is designed to help the physician create the practice that suits them best and is flexible enough to allow the physician to create a varied and interesting practice. FHT, FHO, FHG and CHC positions are currently available in the City.
Family Medicine Physician/Emergency Medicine
A financial incentive to an Emergency Medicine Doctor (CCFP(EM) or an FRCPC) in the amount of $75,000 in exchange for a 5-year commitment of full-time service to Quinte Health Belleville General Hospital (QHBGH). This incentive is to be paid in annual $15,000 installments. The QHBGH emergency ward is a fast-paced, dynamic work environment where physicians have the opportunity to use their high acuity skills in an exciting and rewarding environment. Applicants can connect directly to Martha Farrell, Physician Recruiter at Quinte Health, or they can contact the Belleville recruiter noted below.
Specialist Physicians
A financial incentive for a medical student, resident or recently graduated Specialist Physician is available. The City regularly reviews the need for specialists in the community and where a high need has been established, an incentive will be considered. The incentive will total $75,000 payable in $15,000 annual installments in return for a five-year commitment of full-time service to the City of Belleville. Critical need specialties will be determined by the City in consultation with Quinte Health and other health-related organizations (Ontario Health). Current examples of high-need specialties include psychiatry, anesthesia, and internal medicine. These high-need specialties are subject to change without notice.
International Medical Graduates (IMG)
The City of Belleville will consider offering a financial incentive to a Family Physician International Medical Graduate (IMG) provided they have relocated to Ontario, are eligible to work in Ontario, and are enrolled in good standing with a Canadian Medical School and/or actively studying for/taking accreditation exams. The incentive can be up to $150,000 paid in $25,000 installments, in return for a five-year commitment of full-time service to the community.
Established Family Physicians from outside Ontario
Council will consider providing a $75,000 incentive to any existing family physician that relocates to Belleville from outside of Ontario provided they are fully licensed to practice medicine in Ontario, they are a physician in good standing and provided they will open a clinic-based practice here and will roster their own patients. The incentive is to be paid in $15,000 installments in return for a five-year commitment of service.
Council may consider providing a similar incentive to an existing physician practicing in Ontario where it can be determined that the physicians would be leaving their existing practice regardless of the incentive.
Nurse Practitioners
The Province of Ontario currently provides free tuition for most Nurse Practitioner programs provided they stay in the region in which they were educated. In order to attract as many graduates from this program as possible, the City may provide a $10,000 incentive for new graduates to choose a Belleville position. The incentive will pay $5,000 when the Practitioner starts a position in Belleville and another $5,000 after six months, in return for a two-year commitment of service to Belleville.
These incentives are subject to budget availability, but it should be noted that Belleville City Council is committed to providing the best level of primary health care they can for their residents. All applications and requests will be considered, and anyone interested in learning more about Belleville and the opportunities to build a fulfilling career here should contact:
Karen Poste
Manager of Physician Recruitment and Retention
City of Belleville
kposte@belleville.ca
613-967-3273