The Alberta government has finalized a four-year compensation agreement for resident physicians in partnership with Alberta Health Services (AHS), the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary, and the Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta (PARA).
The agreement, which aims to maintain competitive pay for physicians in training, includes wage increases of three percent for the first two years, followed by two percent increases for the remaining two years. These adjustments bring Alberta’s compensation for resident physicians in line with other Western Canadian medical schools.
Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange expressed optimism about the agreement, stating, "We are extremely grateful to all of our resident physicians, who play a vital role in caring for Albertans. This agreement will help us recruit medical students and encourage them to practice in this province."
Athana Mentzelopoulos, president and CEO of AHS, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of resident physicians in supporting front-line healthcare teams and enhancing acute healthcare services across Alberta.
The agreement comes as part of broader efforts to retain medical talent in the province. On October 3, the Alberta government introduced the Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program, providing up to $8 million annually for two years. Under Alberta’s Rural Health Action Plan, this initiative aims to attract medical students and residents to practice in rural areas by offering financial support in exchange for a three-year commitment to work in these communities.
Dr. Rithesh Ram, president of the Alberta Medical Association’s section of rural medicine, highlighted the importance of the agreement and bursary program, stating that they are vital to enhancing rural healthcare services and developing rural hospitals into centers of excellence.
NDP Criticizes Delays and Healthcare Impact
Despite the progress, the Alberta NDP has expressed concerns over the UCP government’s handling of healthcare issues. Sarah Hoffman, NDP Shadow Minister for Health, acknowledged PARA's efforts in reaching the tentative agreement but criticized the government for stalling on finalizing compensation models for primary care physicians.
"Once doctors have completed their residency, we want them to stay in our province,” Hoffman said. “The work of the Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta to get this tentative agreement across the line is good news for doctors. But unless this UCP government stops stalling and signs the agreement they have already reached with physicians, many will go to other provinces as soon as they complete their residency."
Hoffman highlighted recent developments in Lethbridge, where two family doctors announced they would close their practice, citing inadequate support for family medicine in Alberta. In their public letter, the doctors mentioned that while Alberta had been a wonderful place to live, it had become a “terrible place to work” in healthcare.
"There are nearly one million Albertans without a family doctor," Hoffman noted. "The UCP government must abandon their war against doctors and get the new compensation model for primary care physicians signed today."
The NDP also criticized the government’s approach to vaccine distribution, with Hoffman claiming that the province is lagging in delivering vaccines to doctors’ offices ahead of the flu season.
"In a province that is a world leader in transportation and logistics, it is irresponsible of the government to let a contract end before ensuring a distributor is in place," she stated.
While the new agreement aims to attract and retain medical professionals in Alberta, opposition voices argue that immediate and decisive action is necessary to stabilize the province’s healthcare system and prevent further physician loss.
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