Health Minister Cameron Friesen has announced a new family medicine residency program in Thompson will allow medical residents to experience northern and remote health-care service delivery and encourage physician recruitment and retention to underserved areas across the large and diverse region.
 He said providing a program that lets physicians experience life in the north and how people in the region access health care is an excellent way to prepare them for a career in northern medicine   He added this new partnership between the University of Manitoba and the Northern Health Region will support stronger recruitment and retention efforts across northern Manitoba.

While the program is based out of Thompson, trainees will complete core training rotations across the region, preparing residents to provide care across diverse environments including community hospitals, health centres, nursing stations and care homes in First Nation, rural and remote communities.

Northern Health Region CEO Helga Bryant says they believe this program will help physicians better understand the opportunities they can find while practising in northern Manitoba.