Family Medicine Locums
1. Tell us about your background/education/training.
Kayla and I are both rural generalists by training. We both trained and worked in Goose Bay, Labrador within the Memorial University NorFam family medicine training program. Our training in Newfoundland and Labrador was predominantly in rural and remote settings with some urban rotations in obstetrics, internal medicine, and critical care/ICU. We love to practice full scope family medicine with a particular interest in emergency medicine. We have worked in rural and remote ERs in Newfoundland and Labrador and Northwest Territories, as well as fly-in community clinics, obstetrics, inpatient/hospitalist work, and general family medicine clinics.
2. We understand you are currently doing locum work. Can you tell us about how that works and why you have chosen to work like this?
Locum work fits our lifestyle very well! We love having the freedom to try new things and new places. We moved to New Brunswick from Newfoundland to be closer to both our families and this is home base for us now. We still travel to Goose Bay as well as provide locum work in the Northwest Territories so having the flexibility of life as a locum is essential to allow us to continue to explore. Plus, we love having the chance to travel and have new adventures outside of work, and the locum life allows us to check that box as well.
3. Can you share a bit about your future plans and why you have chosen Fredericton as a place to settle/buy a home?
Fredericton is home for us now and fits perfectly with our current and future plans! We love living life outdoors on the trails, whether it be on a bike or trail running, and feel so lucky to have easy access to Fredericton‘s abundant trail system. It is a city with a small town feel to it and has everything one could want while still feeling very connected with nature. Plus, it is close to both our families. We’re excited to practice medicine in New Brunswick close to our loved ones and plan to continue to pursue locum/travel adventures both in and out of the province in years to come!
4. What do you think is the most pressing health-care issue in our province?
In our short time practicing medicine in New Brunswick, we have both seen the unfortunate impacts that come from a lack of timely access to primary care. Many people in the province are without family doctors and are struggling to have their most basic primary care needs met. In our work in the emergency department and urgent care settings, we see the effects this has on patients and their families. It is not a unique problem to New Brunswick, yet sometimes it takes a unique answer to fit the context of the communities that are affected. Drawing from experiences providing primary care in other communities across Canada, we would both take pride in helping shape models for improving primary care in the province in the coming years.
5. What are your interests outside of medicine?
We love living an active outdoor lifestyle! We enjoy trail running, using it as a reason to travel and see new places. We have an old 1989 Volkswagen Westfalia camper van that we love to adventure around in (when it’s not at the mechanics). We love education, and we’re always trying to improve our knowledge. Having the time and flexibility to seek out new educational opportunities fits with where we are at in our career. We enjoy taking courses that advance our skills in emergency medicine and are looking to seek out some fellowship opportunities in ultrasound and general emergency medicine. Working as a locum, we have the flexibility to do this when we want, without the pressure of worrying about a contract or obligations of being a full-time employee within an organization. It gives us the chance as early career physicians to find what works best for us and advance our knowledge and training at a pace that allows us to continue to work while spending time with family and having adventures and life experiences outside of work, hopefully all things that will allow us to have a long and fulfilling career in medicine.
Jennifer Scott, Member Engagement Specialist
