Four new physicians have been hired in two southwestern Manitoba rural communities to help relieve the family doctor shortage in Minnedosa and Killarney.
Prairie Mountain Health recruited two doctors for each of those small towns through the University of Manitoba’s Medical Licensure Program for International Medical Graduates.
In Killarney, the two new doctors are a husband and wife. Shamsudeen (Shams) and Olamide (Ola) Usman met in medical school in their home country, Nigeria, 14 years ago.
Most recently they worked as clinical assistants at Brandon Regional Health Centre, but Shams said they both have extensive hospital and emergency department experience.
“Most of our practice back in Nigeria are like small private-owned hospitals,” Shams said. “Most of these hospitals you’re doing emergency, you’re also running clinics, you’re also providing impatient services. More like the same thing where we have everything under that one roof, just like Killarney.”
The couple described themselves and their three children as adventurous, and even before they were hired to work in Killarney, they had spent many weekends there exploring the town and its lakeside beach.
Doctors Shamsudeen (Shams) and Olamide (Ola) Usman, a married couple originally from Nigeria, were recruited by Prairie Mountain Health to work in Killarney’s hospital and clinic. They bring emergency room experience, and most recently worked as clinical assistants at Brandon Regional Health Centre. (Submitted, Shamsudeen Usman)
And once Ola and Shams toured the hospital and clinic, Ola said she was even more excited.
“The first thing that struck me was that the emergency department was recently renovated, and it looks brand new,” Ola said.
“It was so equipped, it doesn’t even look like a rural ER. I was so happy about that. I could see the ultrasound monitors and everything brand new. So I love that — that it’s well maintained, renovated.”
According to Doctors Manitoba, the province ranks second-last in Canada when it comes to physicians per capita, and the shortage is felt harder in rural areas.
Getting new doctors set up
Tamara Kemp-Boulet is a physician recruiter with Prairie Mountain Health with a focus on drawing family doctors to rural hospitals and clinics. Once a doctor has signed a four-year return of service agreement with the health authority, it’s Kemp’s duty to organize a visit to the community, and, if necessary, showcase services for spouses and families.
“We look at either schools and daycares, recreational activities for children, and for adults. We try to co-ordinate spouse interests, as well, and potentially a spouse job,” Kemp-Boulet said.
“We come to the facility, we meet the doctors, we meet the health service managers and the staff. So we make it a full day, and I really, really include the community, the council, the mayors, economic developers, to help me co-ordinate the day,” she said.
Killarney Mayor Janice Smith said the Usmans will help with the workload of the three other doctors. They are seeing patients in the clinic and hospital with an emergency department that is open 24-7.
“I wouldn’t say that we were desperate, but this alleviates some pressures on the doctors that we have right now because our complement [of doctors] is five,” Smith said.
“I have a lot of colleagues in the area that aren’t as lucky as we are, but Prairie Mountain Health has allocated our area as being a hub, so they want to make sure it is staffed properly and available for our community and area,” she said.
New hire in Minnedosa
In Minnedosa, Dr. Moazzam Raza is the newest doctor who recently took a tour of the health centre and clinic and met community leaders for a meet-and-greet lunch.
Raza was born in Pakistan, raised in the United States, and received his medical degree from St. Kitts School of Medicine in the Caribbean.
And by this time next year, Raza will be seeing a full roster of patients at Minnedosa’s rural hospital and clinic — something he said will be a perfect fit.
“One of the biggest part of me practising here, I want to be able to spend time with my patients when I’m giving them the care that I want to give them,” Raza said.
“I don’t want to be that doctor who’s rushing, only spending the minimum time that’s needed, only addressing one problem at a time. I wanna be able to be there for them.”
Raza is one of seven recent new hires for the health region, short-listed from 900 candidates who applied to practice in Manitoba.
He has friends in and around Minnedosa, and after seeing the community for himself, said he knew it would be a great place for him and his wife to raise their three children.
“I’ve always been accustomed to more of living a little bit more humbly and within my means. So, I’m not that person who wants to live in downtown or in a big city, in an apartment, especially with my wife and kids,” Raza said.
Raza’s first shift at the Minnedosa health-care centre is expected to be in September 2026, and another new doctor will be touring the facilities in February 2026. The Usmans will start seeing patients in Killarney in August 2026.
In small communities like Killarney — with a population of about 3,000 people — word of the new husband and wife doctor-team spread fast.
Lynne Manuliak said she was relieved to hear that there will soon be five doctors seeing patients.
“It’s very important to have doctors here in these little towns because you just can’t always run to Brandon when you get sick,” Manuliak said.
WATCH | New doctors excited about practising in rural Manitoba:
New doctors excited about practising in rural Manitoba
Four internationally trained doctors will soon be seeing patients in rural health-care facilities in southwestern Manitoba. The new physicians say they were attracted by the small town lifestyle and slower pace with patients.