Gastroenterologist - Wetaskiwin

Alberta Health Services, Central Zone, and the Department of Gastroenterology, invites applications for a Gastroenterologist to establish a full-time practice in the community of Wetaskiwin. The successful candidate will provide endoscopy services at Wetaskiwin Hospital & Care Centre and be expected to provide clinical follow up on an outpatient basis. On-call gastroenterology services will be provided out of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC). On-call frequency will be on par with and equitably distributed amongst the physician group.

Responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Obtain and maintain an AHS Medical Staff Appointment and appropriate privileges to provide the Services;
• Abide by the AHS Medical Staff Bylaws, the AHS Medical Staff Rules and AHS policies;
• Establish and maintain full-time community-based practice within the community;
• Provide call assistance as per call schedules, including full-time participation in the Gastroenterology call schedule at Red Deer Regional Hospital, as required;
• Participate in quality improvement programs and initiatives undertaken within the Zone Clinical Department of Internal Medicine;
• Participate in relevant Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs;
• Contribute to and participate in other administrative responsibilities, as assigned;
• Work collaboratively with peers and care team colleagues in support of patient care.

Once chosen, the successful candidate may choose to operate their business by joining an existing independent outpatient practice or form an independent outpatient office of their own. This is the candidate's independent business decision and will not be managed through the recruitment process.

Community Information:

Wetaskiwin is predicted to be one of Alberta’s fastest-growing cities- With over 700 businesses, attractive housing prices, and no municipal business tax, it is easy to see why! Wetaskiwin is ideally situated just east of Alberta’s busy Highway 2 corridor, 45 minutes south of Edmonton and 60 minutes north of Red Deer. This location has transformed Wetaskiwin into a regional distribution centre. Wetaskiwin housing prices are typically 2/3 the cost of a similar home in Edmonton. This city has a population of over 12,000 residents, and the physicians there support a Medical Service Area of over 45,000 individuals. The city enjoys a prosperous economic base of agriculture, oil and gas, tourism, and manufacturing, as well as first-class education and an abundance of recreational and cultural amenities.

The recreation amenities in Wetaskiwin are highlighted by the Manluk Regional Aquatic Centre (opened in 2014), which features both a competition & leisure pool, two waterslides, a “Lazy River” ride, a hot tub, a steam room, and one of only three “BoardRider” surfing attractions in western Canada. In addition, there are two hockey arenas, a curling rink, a football field with a running track, numerous soccer fields, numerous baseball & softball fields, four tennis courts, two golf courses on the city boundary (plus seven more within a 35-minute drive), the finest disc golf facility in Alberta plus a 17-acre lake, with a 2.5 km hiking trail, inside the city.

Wetaskiwin’s cultural amenities include a very active arts & craft club which operates out of a city-owned Craft Centre, two art galleries, and a theatre society which produces both plays and music concerts.

Tourism is a big part of Wetaskiwin’s economy. The world-class Reynolds-Alberta Museum, situated on 248 acres adjacent to the Wetaskiwin Regional Airport, has over 1,200 unique cars, trucks, farm machines, industrial equipment, and aircraft in its collection. Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame is contained in a separate building on the Reynolds-Alberta Museum site and in addition to an aircraft display, showcases the achievements of the over 200 inducted members. Alberta’s only paved NASCAR racing oval is located a few kilometers NW of Wetaskiwin and is one of the stops on the cross-Canada NASCAR Canadian Tires Series auto racing series. The Wetaskiwin Rawhide Rodeo is Alberta’s second-largest amateur rodeo. The Alberta Central Railway Museum, located SE of Wetaskiwin, features an authentic CPR station and a collection of CPR rolling stock.

The Wetaskiwin Regional Airport (owned & operated by the City of Wetaskiwin), is currently the only Transport Canada certified airport in western Canada where an aircraft owner can purchase airside land, construct a hangar, and get title to the property. All other airports require a long-term lease of airside land, on which it is much more difficult to finance any construction.

Travel Time:

• To Edmonton: 1 hour
• To Calgary: 2 hours 30 minutes
• To Red Deer: 1 hour 5 minutes
• To Grande Prairie: 5 hours 10 minutes
• To Lethbridge: 4 hours 20 minutes
• To Medicine Hat: 4 hours 35 minutes

Required Qualifications:

• Have or be eligible for licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (required with application);
• Have or be eligible for certification with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Certification (RCPSC);
• Recent and relevant experience in all areas of practice required, as the Most Responsible Physician;

Desired Qualifications:

• Physicians with sub-specialty training in advanced therapeutic endoscopy, inflammatory bowel disease, or hepatology are desired;
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS);

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, and we thank all applicants for their interest; only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted. Preference will be given to applicants who do not require or have completed the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta Practice Ready Assessment (PRA); as well as applicants that are Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada.

Additional Information

• Position Classification: Full-time
• FTE: 1
• Unit and Program: Internal Medicine
• Specialty: Gastroenterology
• Secondary Specialty: Internal Medicine
• Recruiting Organization: Alberta Health Services
• Sponsorship Eligible: No
• Compensation: Fee for Service
• On Call Stipend - Physician are remunerated for being on call.
• Alberta Medical Association (AMA) Compensation Programs - AMA Membership compensation programs are under review and may be subject to change.
• Posting Date: May 6, 2024
• Posting Status: Open until a suitable candidate is found