Department of Family Medicine to Open North East Residency Training Site
Enhancing access and improving the quality of care in rural communities.
By Jana KnezackovaResidents representing the existing eight family medicine training sites pose with CoM Dean Dr. Sarah Forgie, and the Minister of Health Honorable Jeremy Cockrill at the recent Family Medicine Resident Retreat. From left to right: Dr. Daniel Antonenko (La Ronge), Dr. Jessica Kainth (Northwest), Dr. Irene Firoz (Moose Jaw), Dr. Calista Lytle (Prince Albert), Dr. Chibuzor Okoronkwo (Regina), Dr. Stephanie Walls (Saskatoon), Dr. Mary Olaniyi (Swift Current) and Dr. Oladoyin Olaosebikan (Southeast).
The Department of Family Medicine (DFM) is excited to announce the addition of a North East residency training site, bringing the number of family medicine training sites in Saskatchewan to nine.
“We are very excited to have the opportunity to expand our home residency sites into new communities across the province,” says Dr. Kathy Lawrence (MD), Provincial Head for the Department of Family Medicine.
“For many years, we have built strong partnerships with these sites, and we look forward to supporting them as they build on the critical learning opportunities they offer to College of Medicine learners.”
This aligns with the DFMs commitment to providing distributed medical education opportunities for learners in our province, emphasising learner opportunities to practice rural medicine while better resourcing the communities that we work in.
“Training physicians in the communities where we hope they will ultimately practice is essential to strengthening health care. The presence of residents not only enhances access and improves the quality of care but also helps increase the number of physicians serving our province,” says Dr. Lawrence.
The new North East site will include Nipawin, Melfort and Humboldt – which was formerly part of the Southeast site. With this change, the Southeast training site has been restructured to include Moosomin, Weyburn and the newly added city of Yorkton.
These changes bring the number of Saskatchewan family medicine residency seats to 68 seats in the 2026 Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) match, an increase of 20 seats over the past five years.
For those participating in the 2026 match, the opportunity to train at a new site offers a unique opportunity.
“Residents matching to our newest site will have the unique opportunity to help build a program from the ground up, working alongside highly engaged preceptors and serving communities that are deeply appreciative of their care,” says Dr. Sheila Smith (MD), Postgraduate Program Director for the Department of Family Medicine.
Each community has something unique to offer residents who match to their community. In Humboldt, a rural teaching site offers a unique blend of hands-on learning and strong mentorship in a supportive, close-knit hardworking rural community. Located just one hour away from a tertiary care center, students gain exposure to both rural and specialized care, providing a comprehensive and well-rounded clinical experience.
Dr. Aileen Hamilton (MD) Humboldt, Rural Site Coordinator highlights that “learners benefit from passionate preceptors dedicated to personalized education, with a low learner-to-faculty ratio that ensures one-on-one teaching and mentorship.”
In Nipawin, residents are offered a “front-row seat to the full spectrum of rural family medicine—where clinical confidence is built through hands-on experience, close mentorship, and diverse patient care,” states Nipawin Rural Site Coordinator, Dr. Olukayode (Kay) Olutunfese (MD).
With strong ties to medical education and a commitment to teaching, Nipawin is a place where learners become leaders in rural healthcare.
Similarly, Melfort offers learners an opportunity to become well-rounded generalist clinicians with plenty of exposure to acute care medicine, procedures, and one-on-one teaching. Learners have exposure to rural generalist medicine and access to visiting specialist colleagues.
“Our team is comprised of physicians from a variety of backgrounds with energy for teaching,” says Dr. Erin Beresh (MD), Melfort Rural Site Coordinator. “Our small community offers learners a home away from home with many community events and gatherings to welcome you. We look forward to helping you begin your rural medicine adventure!”
The learning opportunities in Saskatchewan are diverse and there is something for everyone.
“No matter where you train in Saskatchewan, you are really going to be able to serve the needs of whatever community you go to,” says Dr. Lawrence (MD).
For media releases provided by the Saskatchewan Government please click the links below:
Medical Residency Expansion in Northeast Saskatchewan