Saskatchewan is introducing a new financial incentive of up to $60,000 to retain medical residents specializing in emergency medicine, anaesthesia and diagnostic radiology.
The incentive provides $30,000 per year to residents in their fourth and fifth years of training, requiring a two-year return-of-service commitment in the province upon completion of their residency.
“We are pleased to offer this incentive to improve retention levels of highly specialized physicians who train here in our province,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “Ensuring that we have the necessary health care providers in place to deliver timely and specialized care to patients is a critical priority for our government.”
The Saskatchewan Health Authority will administer the incentive, which also applies to residents who began their fourth or fifth year of training in July 2024.
“Every day I see the essential roles these medical specialists contribute to the care of our patients,” Saskatchewan Health Authority chief medical officer Dr. Susan Shaw said. “Further investing in our medical residents helps us ensure physicians training in Saskatchewan will stay in Saskatchewan upon completion of their training.”
There are currently 27 eligible residents, and the estimated total cost of the incentive is $1.1 million based on current seat allocations.
“We continue investing in existing and new initiatives to recruit and retain more specialists in high demand as part of our ambitious Health Human Resources Plan,” Cockrill said. “These initiatives are showing success in reinforcing and stabilizing key areas of our health care system.”
Medical residents benefiting from the new incentive may also be eligible for other targeted practice incentives following residency.
