The power of preceptors in recruiting physicians to rural communities
Channel: RhPAP
Date: 02/11/2022

In her second year of medicine at the University of Alberta, Dr. Kathryn Wood came to Peace River for a one month rotation. She found the community and her preceptors so welcoming.

“I immediately just said wow, I’m getting so much more hands on experience," said Dr. Kathryn Wood. I’m really enjoying my time in the rural community.”

She returned again in third year for a nine-month rotation in what is called the integrated community clerkship program or ICC. So did her husband Dr. Adam Mildenberger.

“We loved every second of it," said Dr. Mildenberger. "It was great. Everybody was very interested and engaged in teaching.”

“We felt like we became part of the community," said Dr. Wood. "We had patient that we followed that we felt responsible for. We had preceptors who came to trust us because they’d known us for nine months.”

They made their minds up during their clerkship that Peace River was where they would come back to practice.

They've been practicing in Peace River for over three years now. Dr. Wood is a family physician who also has enhanced surgical skills and does obstetrics. Dr. Mildenberger is a family physician and anaesthetist.

Looking back, they recognized the value of preceptors in recruiting new physicians like themselves to a community. 

Today, they lead the ICC program in Peace River.

“But we’ve all benefited from somebody taking the time to teach us," says Dr. Wood. "And I think in particular, those of us who’ve had very good and very passionate preceptors, we very much want to pay it forward right. We want to make sure that ongoing medical students keep having that same experience.”

Both Kathryn and Adam cherish the rewards they receive from being preceptors.

"They keep you fresh," said Dr. Wood. "You’re constantly double checking that something that you’re telling them is still up to date. They often have interesting perspectives. It’s great having them with us in practice."

"It’s a very rewarding part of my career," said Dr. Mildenberger. "They’re [residents] always very grateful for the time that you spent with them."