The Government of Alberta has shared more information on its $224.8M investment into physician training in rural areas, which is part of its recently announced Budget 2024. The investment will support collaborative efforts to set up two new Rural Medical Education Program Training Centres: The University of Alberta and Northwestern Polytechnic will establish a centre in Grande Prairie, while the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge will establish a centre in Lethbridge. Students will have access to training opportunities in nearby rural communities through the centres. The centres will provide after-hours care to help reduce congestion in emergency departments and will work to address the rural physician shortage by training and supporting family medicine and general practice practitioners.
