Internationally educated health professions in Atlantic Canada

Abstract

A number of factors may attract newcomers to Atlantic Canada. While health issues may not be the first that come to mind, if health provision is deemed to be below expected levels of service, this can discourage immigrants from moving in or residents from staying. Major disappointment and frustration are expressed about the non-availability of a family doctor, as well as the non-availability of, or uncertainty about, specialized care and surgical procedures. The attraction, and retention, of internationally educated health professionals is an obvious strategy to address shortfalls in specialized human health resources in the region. This article briefly reviews the state of health services in Atlantic Canada. It evaluates the combination of socio-cultural, economic-fiscal and professional hurdles that are faced by IEHPs who seek to practice in the region and introduces a region-wide research project that will seek stories and voices from IEHP respondents to illustrate and help understand the generic challenges that such professionals face.