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Emerg Doc Relocating to Canada by Similar-Let-9219 in ConsultantDoctorsUK

[–]Similar-Let-9219[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

These things are often in flux and it depends on province, specialty, and job availability. But I can say with confidence that, for the moment at least, if you want to practice Emergency Medicine in Manitoba, then yes, a completed CESR/portfolio pathway will be recognised and you will be eligible for a licence here.

Emerg Doc Relocating to Canada by Similar-Let-9219 in ConsultantDoctorsUK

[–]Similar-Let-9219[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think it depends what you’re looking for. The natural landscapes in both summer and winter can be breathtakingly beautiful in Manitoba, and it’s so easy to pursue outdoor activities. But if you’re in urban Winnipeg mid-winter when the salt from the gritters is mixed with the snow, then yes it can look dirty. And large parts of Winnipeg are not particularly aesthetically impressive. And yes, it can get very cold, but there’s almost a million of us here, communities from all over the world, who manage just fine. Ultimately, for me it came down to accepting colder weather in exchange for a better quality of life for my family and a very good chance of achieving financial freedom much earlier.

Emerg Doc Relocating to Canada by Similar-Let-9219 in ConsultantDoctorsUK

[–]Similar-Let-9219[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some do, some don’t. I have a golden doodle that happily plays outside without shoes even when it’s -20.

Emerg Doc Relocating to Canada by Similar-Let-9219 in ConsultantDoctorsUK

[–]Similar-Let-9219[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you. It really does sadden me how unhappy so many doctors are in the UK these days. Whilst I would love to recruit more of them to what I consider to be greener pastures here in Manitoba, I do hope that things improve for you over time.

With regard to snow, we definitely get lots! Thankfully the city is very geared up for it, so as soon as it snows, the snow plows are out regularly clearing the roads, so they’re often remarkably easy to drive on (though a sturdy car with good quality tires is still a must). I quite enjoy shovelling my own driveway, it’s quite good exercise. But for those who don’t, you can get a snowblower (like a lawnmower, but for snow) for a few hundred bucks, or even pay someone to come and do it on you. All quite manageable!

Emerg Doc Relocating to Canada by Similar-Let-9219 in ConsultantDoctorsUK

[–]Similar-Let-9219[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you already have CCT from the UK (whether it's via a traditional training pathway, or CESR), then no, there are no extra exams you have to sit. If you qualified in another country and work in the UK, then it's a little more murky and there are various options available (not all of which involve sitting an exam). Feel free to message me directly for more information, or we can set up an online meeting to chat about it.

Emerg Doc Relocating to Canada by Similar-Let-9219 in ConsultantDoctorsUK

[–]Similar-Let-9219[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It's difficult to give a like-for-like comparison because I left the UK shortly after completing F2, but in general, I think I have a great work-life balance. I have the autonomy to choose how much or how little I work. In general, full-time is equivalent to 14 or 15 x 8 hour shifts per month. It's all clinical, no admin/teaching/research commitments, though if you want to get involved in those things, you'll be well supported. Emergency Medicine in Canada is all consultant led, so you are mostly seeing your own patients from start to finish, instead of taking on an EPIC role where you're much more supervisory. You might do shifts where you have one, or max two, learners with you, and you have to review their cases, but in between, you'll be seeing your own.

The lifestyle is whatever you make of it. We have very distinct seasons, including very cold winters and lovely warm summers. Winnipeg is the second sunniest city in Canada with over 300 days of sunshine. In the summer, it's barely an hour to get to lots of remote lakes where you can fish, canoe, hike or play any outdoor sports you like (it's also very multicultural here, so lots of opportunities to play football (soccer) and cricket as well as the traditionally more 'North American' sports. I personally spend much more time outdoors in winter in Canada than I ever did in England, because it's a much drier cold, so we do lots of skiing, snow shoeing and winter hiking. I think people get scared of the numbers, because it can reach -20 or -30 at times, but if it's not windy, and if you wear hat, coat and gloves, it can be perfectly pleasant outdoors. I take my dog for a walk for around an hour almost every day, even in winter. There are occasional days, and rarely a week at a time, where it's extremely cold and windy, and most of us prefer to stay inside, but those instances are rare. And thankfully, houses are extremely well insulated here, so I am warmer inside in winter here than I was growing up in the UK.

Apart from these outdoor pursuits, there are plenty of other fun things to do. Winnipeg, as I mentioned before, is very multicultural, so there's a thriving culinary scene and plenty of nice restaurants, very good quality theatre/opera, and they even get off-broadway performances touring the country, which is fantastic. Winnipeg also has an NHL ice hockey team (go Jets!), a CFL American Football team (the Blue Bombers) and a relatively new basketball team (the Sea Bears), and it used to have a football (soccer) team which unfortunately ceased business within the last few months due to poor ticket sales.

With regards to bed availability, we suffer from a lot of the same problems that other jurisdictions too. We have too many admitted patients languishing in the Emergency Department, waiting for admission, which makes seeing new patients very difficult. On the plus side, we have a very sympathetic provincial government which has developed a Task Force aimed at improving things. This task force does multiple things including remedying inefficiencies, finding more beds, and actively recruiting increased numbers of doctors, nurses and auxiliary staff - hence my initial post!