More seats have opened up at the University of Manitoba for the emergency medicine residency. As of July 1, the province increased the seat total from 11 to 17. This includes seven in the emergency medicine residency program, eight in the one-year family medicine enhanced skills emergency medicine program, and maintaining the two seats in Brandon. The province notes the family medicine path gives doctors more specialized training after they have finished their residency in family medicine. “We want all residents who train here to stay here,” said Uzoma Asagwara, Manitoba’s health minister, at a news conference Wednesday. “Now we’ve got 17 residents who are part of that work. We know that staffing is just one critical part of how we’re going to reduce the pressures in our emergency departments.” During the first intake with the increased seat total, the province said each position was filled and training started right away. “Training people in our province makes all the difference. It means that we get to do the work of recruiting them to stay in Manitoba. It means that they’re training in environments that are right here at home. They’re building relationships. They’re being mentored by experts who have been delivering care in Manitoba. They’re putting down real roots here, and it means that we’re more likely going to keep them here in Manitoba.” Dr. Chris Christodoulou, the interim president and CEO of Shared Health, said the addition of these new seats will help improve patient care and ensure a better experience for Manitobans who need to go to the emergency room. The success of the emergency room depends on having appropriate staff volumes, Christodoulou notes, adding that this announcement will make that possible. “It means that you get a timely assessment, you get a timely diagnosis, and you get the timely treatment that you need for the condition that brings you to the emergency department,” said Christodoulou, who is calling this a “historic announcement.”
