George Mbara has been the Program Manager of the Welcome Collaborative since 2023. He was recently interviewed about the impact of the program.

What is the highlight for you in your work with the Welcome Collaborative?

George: What stands out for me are the participants themselves, every cohort is unique and brings new life into the program, bringing in new perspectives and experiences that inform what we offer and help us improve.

Since the program began what have you observed about the program’s participants?

George: From when the program started to where we are now, you see physicians who are coming to the orientation excited, happy, and looking forward to learning and engaging with us, which is amazing to see. Physicians have been very receptive to the program and think our sessions are important and informative. Physicians really appreciate the communication skills workshop, the opioid prescribing sessions, and writing sick notes sessions in particular.

I think every aspect of the orientation is very meaningful to the physicians, from the sessions to meeting other physicians trained outside of Canada and interacting with presenters and stakeholders.

When you take stock of the program over this past year what stands out for you?

George: This year we were expecting to onboard 45 physicians, and so far, we have onboarded 73 in total. The program’s success is evident in the positive feedback from physicians, who have found the orientation sessions to be invaluable in their transition into practice in Nova Scotia.

We are excited to welcome more physicians, and we are estimated to have 60 participants in 2025. I believe we can double this figure. Additionally, the orientation program is hoping to introduce a series of webinars and host an annual general meeting for alumni.

What excites me the most is the interest I get from partner organizations. Everybody is happy to support our program. The collaborative efforts of various partner organizations, including the provincial government, the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment, Nova Scotia Health, ISANs, Canadian Medical Protective Association of Canada, and Doctors Nova Scotia, ensure that physicians trained outside of Canada feel welcomed, valued, and supported in Nova Scotia.