By George Mbara, Program Manager

Over the last two years, 133 physicians trained outside of Canada have attended the Welcome Collaborative orientation program.

In January 2024, the program received accreditation from Dalhousie University Continuing Professional Development and Medical Education (CPDME) to provide 20.0 MAINPRO+ and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credits. This accreditation covers the four sessions of the program in 2024 and will be renewed in February 2025. Participants of the Welcome Collaborative receive these credits at no financial cost and are issued certificates of attendance from CPDME.

The orientation program is continuously evolving based on feedback from participants, presenters, and guests. This feedback has resulted in several changes to the program including:

• dedicated time for Community Health Navigators to meet with physicians and answer their questions.
• access to the Virtual Hallway, a platform designed to create a collaborative community of healthcare providers to facilitate the swift exchange of clinical knowledge.
• adding the new topic of Public Health in Nova Scotia to ensure physicians are well-versed in preventive care.
• providing webinars to alumni on such topics as the obligations around the duty to report health professionals.

Welcome Collaborative staff were invited to present at the Pathways to Prosperity 2024 National Conference in November. The conference provided an opportunity to gain experience from other provinces and organizations about their approaches to settlement resources for newcomers to Canada.

Feedback from physicians has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the value of the 3-day Welcome Collaborative orientation program. In 2025, we hope to continue improving and providing meaningful sessions to support physicians trained outside of Canada as they begin their practice in Nova Scotia.