Pictou County residents are benefiting from the successful efforts of the Pictou County Health Authority to recruit family doctors and medical specialists to replace some long-standing vacancies and fill new positions.
In the past eight months, 10 physicians have joined the health authority’s medical staff.
Joining the general surgery program are Dr. Carole Spread and Dr. Colleen O’Sullivan. Dr. Spread practised in Ontario before coming to PCHA in July. Dr. O’Sullivan arrived in February after completing her residency at Queen’s University.
Dr. Raid Shaarbaf joined the health authority’s internal medicine team in August after completing his residency at Dalhousie University.
The Pictou County Health Authority’s orthopedic surgery program is one of four in the province and was recently expanded by the Department of Health and Wellness to have four orthopedic surgeons practising in New Glasgow. A graduate of the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dr. Tahmir El-Tahan joined the orthopedic team last fall following fellowship studies in New Zealand.
“Psychiatry is a particularly difficult specialty to recruit and we have been challenged over the past few years to fill our vacancies,” said Dr. Nicole Boutilier, PCHA’s vice president of medical affairs. “We are pleased that two new psychiatrists have joined our mental health team, focusing on adult patients and helping reduce the length of time these patients must wait to be treated.”
Dr. Enyinnaya Ezema and Dr. Adeoluwa Ogunsona, both from the United Kingdom, began their psychiatry practices in December.
Joining the medical staff from Truro in January is Dr. Louai Jony, specializing in obstetrics / gynecology, and Dr. Robert Perchik, a graduate of Dalhousie University, joined the emergency medicine team in February from the United States.
Anesthesiologist Dr. Sudhakar Reddy will join the operating room team in April from the United Kingdom.
Two new family doctors will be coming to Pictou later this year. Dr. Aveksha Ellaurie will open a family practice in August following the completion of his residency at Dalhousie University. In September, Dr. Cheryl Smith will be taking over the practice of Dr. Gordon Young who is retiring in May. She is a graduate of Dalhousie University and most recently practised family medicine at the IWK Health Centre.
“We welcome these doctors and their families to our community and encourage people to take advantage of the specialists now available in our own community,” said Dr. Boutilier.
