Belleville signs medical student to Doctor Recruitment Program

Belleville city council approved the addition of an eighth new doctor in recent months to the city’s doctor recruitment efforts to practice in future upon completion of her residency.

Mayor Neil Ellis noted in Monday’s regular session: “I think that’s number eight in the last little while,” referring to the city’s successful string of landing new physicians in a city estimated to have 15,000 residents who do not have a family doctor.

He lauded Karen Poste, manager of Physician Recruitment and Retention, for securing yet another doctor for the city.

Queen’s University medical student Kimberly Mitchell has agreed to sign on to Belleville’s Doctor Recruitment Program.

Kimberly will be the 51st physician to be recruited through the program and she will begin to receive financial support as she completes medical school and starts her residency.

“We had the pleasure of meeting Kimberly more than a year ago,” said Ellis.

“Over the past year, we have been able to get to know her and are so pleased she has become acquainted with Belleville and decided to join our program. Although she worked several years as a mechanical engineer, she has decided to change course and devote herself to helping people through family medicine and the City of Belleville couldn’t be happier she will be joining us in 2029.”

“One of the things we noticed about Belleville is the way citizens, local businesses, organizations and the city work together to make the area a great place to live,” said Mitchell.

“My family and I are really looking forward to becoming part of the community.”

Although healthcare and physician recruitment are not a municipal responsibility, the City of Belleville has recognized the shortcomings of the provincial health care system and has implemented one of the most successful recruitment programs in the province, recruiting 51 physicians and six nurse practitioners, the municipality said.

The program is funded by the dividends the city receives as a shareholder of Elexicon Energy and to date, more than $7 million has been committed to attracting primary healthcare providers.