Merritt

Rolling hills, sparkling lakes, and endless hours of sunshine every year make Merritt a haven for four-season outdoor recreation. The summer offers some of the best sailing and windsurfing in North America, and nearby Nicola Lake offers endless choices for water activities. The area is also known for the beautiful horseback riding opportunities as well as camping, and fishing. An almost endless trail system renowned for mountain biking and hiking, is also at your fingertips. Winter brings champaign powder and opportunities for Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and curling. Merritt enjoys a thriving arts community, with an art gallery located in Merritt’s historic Court House, and an active Arts Council, the communities’ arts are flourishing.

Practice Details:

Seeking a physician to join a 4-physician clinic that is fully computerized and paperless with a MedAccess EMR. The office has 6 examination rooms plus a procedure room for minor procedures. Office hours are 0800-1700, with flexible work hours and virtual care options. The clinic is in the downtown core, less than 2 km from the hospital. Emergency department (ED) shifts are 24 hours and there is a minimum expectation of two shifts per month. Local physicians with hospital privileges rotate through inpatient call, currently 1/6. Merritt currently has 7 physicians and one nurse practitioner.

It is an honour to live, work, and practice on the traditional territories of the Nlaka'pamux and Syilx Nations, within the biodiverse Nicola Valley. Merritt is centrally located on the Coquihalla Highway between the Fraser Valley, Kamloops, and Kelowna. At an elevation of 595 meters, this rural city enjoys snowy winters and hot, sunny summers. There are endless wilderness trails, campsites, lakes, rivers, and forests for four season outdoor recreation. The town enjoys a steady influx of people relocating from urban areas attracted to the quality of life, affordable housing, accessibility to services, and abundance of leisure opportunities. Trade an hour per day in urban city traffic for 2 extra weeks per year to play outside in a rural community!

Rural Generalists have the opportunity to practice family medicine while advancing skills in the emergency department and leading local health programs. Nicola Valley Hospital is a community hospital with a 24-hour ED. This facility has 10 acute-care beds along with a new 10 bed emergency room. The hospital serves a population of approximately 20,000 people. The hospital also provides inpatient and outpatient services for laboratory, ECG service, radiology, physiotherapy, spirometry, mental health and opioid antagonist therapy. Facility Engagement has recently upgraded the staff room and private physician lounge at the hospital.

Additional services include home care, public health, diabetes education and dietitian coaching. Gillis House is a local residential care facility managed by Interior Health, approximately 3 km from the hospital. Kamloops is the nearest tertiary referral site, approximately 45 minutes away. Some patients (mostly cardiac) are sent to Kelowna, approximately 1.5 hours away. In critical situations, the High Acuity Response Team (HART) or a helicopter can transfer patients to a higher level of care.

Professional development and rural supports may include:
• NAVIG8 Emerging Physician Leaders Program for emerging medical leaders interested in leadership roles
• Rural Physician Mentoring Program for physicians new to rural practice
• Rural Education Action Plan (REAP) for skills upgrading and advanced training
• Real Time Virtual Support pathways (RTVS) for immediate specialist consultations
• Rural Emergency Enhancement Fund (REEF) providing up to $65,000 per annum per fee-for-service physician supporting IHA-designated Eds
• Rural Retention Program (RRP) funding premium for physicians working in a community covered under the Rural Practice Subsidiary Agreement
• Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice membership and local support

Apply today to live work and play where others only vacation! It's better here!

** This job posting is for a position covered by the Provincial Health Officer’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination order and selected applicant(s) must comply with the requirements of the order.

Qualifications:

• Eligible for The College of Family Physicians of Canada Cert. (CCFP)
• Certificant of College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP)
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification (ACLS)
• Advanced Trauma Life Support Certification (ATLS)
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification (PALS)
• Emergency experience
• Eligible for full or provisional for licensure with CPSBC, Coverage with the Canadian Medical Protective Association is mandatory.

Call Schedule:

Hours of work: Monday to Friday 0800-1700
On call requirements: Please Enquire

Compensation:

Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre:

Merritt currently has 6 physicians working in clinics located in our downtown centre.  Clinics are less than 2 kilometers from the hospital.  The clinics service a population base of approximately 20,000 people.
Hospital: Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre is a 24-hour Level 1 community hospital with a 24-hour Emergency Room. This facility has eight Acute Care beds, six stretcher beds in the Emergency Room.  The hospital also provides inpatient and outpatient services for Laboratory, Electrocardiogram (ECG) Service, Radiology, Physiotherapy, and Spirometry. Additional services include Home Care, Home Support, Public Health, Diabetes and Dietician Teaching, as well as Mental Health services.  There is Residential Care facility locate only 3 kilometers from the Hospital. 
Kamloops is the nearest tertiary referral site. Hospital transportation is supported by an Ambulance Station that is located on same property as the hospital. In emergency situations, a helicopter and the High Acuity Response Team (HART) are dispatched from Kamloops to transport the patient from the site to an advanced centre for additional acute care.