Rural family practice keeping CoM grad happy

Like most people, job satisfaction is key to keeping a doctor happy.

And for Dr. Joel Schindel, he’s always known his satisfaction could be found working in rural Saskatchewan as opposed to chasing more money elsewhere in Canada.

“There are of course lucrative benefits to other areas, like Alberta where you can make a significant amount more money doing the same thing,” Schindel explained. “But I like the fact that when you train here you get to know the system as well, and the pace in Saskatchewan, the life is more conducive for myself and my family.

“So while there are benefits in Alberta, or B.C., taking into consideration all the factors Saskatchewan was by far the better option.”

For the Saskatoon native the decision to remain in-province lead him to settle down in Rosthern following graduation.

“I came out here as a JURSI medical student and had a good experience,” Schindel continued. “It was a combination of the benefits of rural family medicine - which let me practice a type of medicine that utilizes all the skills that you’ve been training for the past six years - and equally my interest in aboriginal health.”

And Schindel has been hosting weekly clinics at both nearby reserves to help meet the needs of the local population.

“The benefits of coming to a place like Saskatchewan is that you have a patient population that is very practical and collegial,” Schindel said as one of his reasons for staying close to home. “I work out here with a rural practice which includes internal medicine, and emergency medicine and your usual family medicine clinics.

“It was just taking into consideration all the factors Saskatchewan was by far the better option.”

This story is Part 4 of a monthly series with SaskDocs profiling College of Medicine grads working in Saskatchewan.