The Government of Yukon and Yukon Medical Association, in partnership with the University of Alberta, are launching the Yukon Edmonton Pilot - a family physician residency initiative that will provide an opportunity for one participant to complete a significant portion of their residency in the Yukon. This pilot strengthens efforts to recruit and retain health care providers in the territory and will improve access to primary care in Yukon communities. The Yukon Edmonton Pilot is intended to create pathways for future rural and remote family medicine training in the Yukon. The goal is to encourage long-term practice in northern and rural communities.
The first resident participating in the pilot is a Yukoner, who will begin their residency in July 2025, with a placement in the Yukon expected to start in early 2026.
Work on determining the feasibility for a Yukon-based family physician residency program began in late 2023. The Yukon Medical Association and the University of Alberta identified a unique opportunity to undertake a pilot initiative starting this summer. The Government of Yukon provided support recognizing the potential for the program to attract and retain more physicians trained in and connected to the Yukon.
In preparation for the pilot launch, a team from the University of Alberta will visit the Yukon from May 28 to 30. During the visit, they will meet with physicians and local health partners, tour facilities and ensure everything is in place for the pilot to begin successfully.
This partnership is an important step for the Government of Yukon and the Yukon Medical Association in developing a full residency program to better support the Yukon's Health Human Resources Strategy. By training physicians closer to home, this initiative will help build a more resilient and sustainable health care system for Yukoners.
"This Yukon Edmonton Pilot is a significant step forward in delivering on our Health Human Resources Strategy. By partnering with the Yukon Medical Association and the University of Alberta, we are investing in Yukoners who want to complete their residency training at home. This residency program is another example of how we are continuing to build a strong and sustainable health care system for the territory."
Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy-Anne McPhee
"This pilot Yukon Family Medicine Residency program represents a truly significant milestone in strengthening our health care system. By enhancing the Yukon's ability to train doctors eager to learn the specialized expertise needed to practice Primary Care in the North, we are creating a new pathway for recruitment now and into the future. We enthusiastically look forward to welcoming our inaugural Family Medicine Resident, a Yukoner, to our medical community."
President of Yukon Medical Association Derek Bryant
Quick facts
- The Yukon Edmonton Pilot is a new family physician residency initiative created through a partnership between the University of Alberta, Yukon Medical Association and the Government of Yukon.
- The pilot supports Initiative 5.5 of the Learn pillar in the Health Human Resources Strategy, which focuses on creating a rural family medicine residency program in the Yukon.
- The first resident is a Yukoner who will begin residency in July 2025 and is expected to begin their placement in the Yukon in January 2026.
- The pilot is supported by the Yukon Medical Association, the Yukon Hospital Corporation and the local physician community.
