Come and Practice Family Medicine in InuvikWorking
for the Beaufort Delta Health and Social Services
Authority and serving the population of this region as a
physician can challenge and delight doctors interested
in all-encompassing medical practice. Truly, the
"cradle-to-the-grave" sort of practice is what we
do. We have plenty of variety: delivering
babies and handling up to moderate risk obstetrics, in
consultation with on-the-ground obstetrical locum
colleagues and/or the specialists in Yellowknife or
Edmonton as needed.
In addition, we have a moderately busy emergency room with plenty of real medicine: cardiac, hepatic and renal pathology, trauma, medevacs, orthopedics and pediatrics. We also staff a (in hospital) family practice clinic and rotate through all these services. At times we see conditions rarely seen in southern Canada such as botulism, rabies and tuberculosis. Everyone becomes involved in public health issues. Some of us take an interest and become involved with elder/chronic care and palliative care as the occasions arise. Clinics in the seven outlying communities we serve, provide further challenges and interest. There, family doctors act as consultants to the outpost nurses, seeing difficult cases, sorting out medications, organizing referrals and providing some continuing education to the nurses who work in these challenging positions. Best of all, we have a team of physicians in the best sense of the word: we support each other, cover each other, and share our opinions and expertise freely. It makes practicing medicine "at the end of the road" less daunting! Besides the very interesting and challenging medicine, it is indeed an honour and a privilege to work with the amazing mix of first nations and other people from around the world who call Inuvik home. Hearing the stories of elders who were born and raised "on the land", being included in community feasts and learning about the challenges some of our new Canadians from the middle east, Asia or Africa have faced all enrich our lives here in this corner of the Northwest Territories The land itself here has a magic all its own: northern lights which dance as you return from a late-night call in winter, the wonder of the midnight sun in summer and the Richardson mountains on the horizon. On a work trip to a settlement you may marvel at summer flowers far above the treeline on an evening walk, be invited for a boat or snow mobile ride on the mighty MacKenzie at Fort Good Hope or on the sea ice at Tuktoyaktuk or be invited for tea and bannock with an elder. All in all, it is likely to be the experience of a lifetime to come north to live and work. Many of us came for a locum or moved up for a year and have stayed well past our planned departure. Come join us! The Polar Docs |