Family Medicine Residency
Welcome to family medicine residency at the University of Saskatchewan!
Rural medicine training is a cornerstone of the USask program, and we take great pride in training family doctors able to practice in a diversity of settings. Residents find their rural rotation is an exciting opportunity to cement clinical skills, hone procedural skills, and expand their independence. Some (hopefully many!) will be considering rural family medicine and use this rotation as an opportunity to explore this exciting and challenging career.
This catalogue was developed by USask’s rural team as a way to help you select your rural rotation, which makes up a significant portion of second year. Our goal in developing it was to provide enough information for you to choose the site that best fits your academic goals, whether that’s working with enhanced skills practitioners, including rural obstetrics, or solidifying acute care skills in a busy ER. We understand that lifestyle and family demands are important too, and have included information on housing and recreational opportunities.
Residents should use this catalogue to rank their top three sites. Selections are due in autumn of your first year, so do spend some time perusing the catalogue, and reach out to your faculty advisor, site director, and ourselves if you have questions about the sites, the selection process, or rural medicine in general. Once again, welcome to USask and good luck with the next phase of your journey in medicine!
Dr. Darcie McGonigle Rural Director North Dr. Kieran Conway Rural Director South
Learn some more information about our Rural Communities
FORT QU'APPELLE
Welcome to Touchwood Qu'Appelle, a primary care network based out of the historic town of Fort Qu'Appelle. Treaty 4 signatories gathered here in 1874. Our practice population reflects the history, with a broad spectrum of patients hailing from First Nations of the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council and File Hills Tribal Council and agricultural communities from Balcarres to Lestock.
GULL LAKE
Gull Lake is located in rolling terrain, close to the east end of the Cypress Hills. Wind power has long been developed in the area; some wind turbines have now been retired, and many others remain, awe-inspiring in their stature and picturesque groupings.
HUMBOLDT
Present-day Humboldt is a thriving community with gyms, a spin studio, golf course, golf simulator and a large recreation centre. Humboldt has walking paths, cross-country ski trails and plenty of hockey.
ÎLE-A-LA-CROSSE
Île-à-la-Crosse is the second oldest community in Saskatchewan following the establishment of the Red River Colony in 1811. It is of exceptional historical note, given its prime access to trading posts located further within the North-Western Territory, which in turn promoted significant interest from both Catholic missionaries and fur trading companies.
LA RONGE
Situated near the geographic centre of Saskatchewan, La Ronge began in 1904 as a fur trading post and meeting place, but with the decline of hunting and the fur market, La Ronge has diversified into other areas. Many of the Dene, Cree, and white trappers used La Ronge as their central service p
MEADOW LAKE
Meadow Lake is a city located in Northern Saskatchewan in the Boreal Forest and traces it's name to the early French traders, who knew it as Lac Des Prairies. The population is a little over 5,000 people, but the patient population is a lot larger - servicing a variety of other communities such as outpost clinics, and visitors to our primary health care centre and hospital.
MELFORT
Known as the "City of Northern Lights" because of the spectacular aurorae seen in the night skies for much of the year. The first settlers came to the area in 1892 and established a settlement called Stoney Creek. Melfort is nestled in the heart of Saskatchewan's great Northeast, a land dominated by soil rich farmland and a variety of forests, lakes and beaches. Located in the Carrot River valley which is noted for its black loamy soil and productive agricultural lands.
MOOSOMIN
When the Canadian Pacific Railway entered the Northwest Territories in 1882, Moosomin quickly established itself as one of the leading towns on the prairies. Moosomin has a welcoming small town atmosphere and a variety of restaurants, cafes and shops. There is an abundance of recreational activities such as golf, nearby lake and regional park, sports fields, indoor sports simulators, bowling, skating, curling, cross-country skiing, and a brand new gym. There is also a new Visual Arts Centre with classes and events.
NIPAWIN
Nipawin got its name from two different Cree words: nîpawiwin, meaning 'standing place,' and nipâwin, meaning 'sleeping, a place to sleep'.
ROSTHERN
Mennonite settlers began arriving in the area around 1890, with the establishment of the Qu'Appelle, Long Lake & Saskatchewan Railway to Prince Albert.
SHELLBROOK
Shellbrook is located 44 km west of Prince Albert and 143 km northwest of Saskatoon. The area our health care team serves includes a population upwards of 15,000 people which includes Shellbrook and surrounding communities. This population comprises eight First Nation communities, numerous farming communities, two Hutterite communities, and numerous seasonal lakes with ballooning populations in the summer months.
WEYBURN
One theory about the name Weyburn is that it came from a Scottish man in the area who was walking through on a hot summer's afternoon. He said, "Wee burn!" and from there the community became Wee Burn which eventually turned to Weyburn.
YORKTON
Yorkton has a population of 19,000 inclusive of surrounding rural areas. It is a diverse population and home to many different groups and churches. The local economy is based on agriculture and mining. There are a variety of grocery store and shopping options including local boutiques. There are local coffee and seasonal ice cream shops. Yorkton is the central hub for activities in SE Saskatchewan hosting various tradeshows and events. There is limited public transportation so a car is mandatory for rotation.
FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT:
Department Assistant | Rural Education and Research Division fm.rural@usask.ca
Dr. Darcie McGonigle | Rural Director North darcie.m@usask.ca
Dr. Kieran Conway | Rural Director South kbc985@mail.usask.ca