Primary Care Network Opportunities in Smithers
Seeking qualified Family Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and Allied Health Professionals for Primary Care Networks in Smithers, British Columbia, Canada
Primary Care Networks
Bring your clinical expertise and passion for providing quality, compassionate care to a challenging and rewarding role as a Family Physician/General Practitioner or Nurse Practitioner for a Primary Care Network (PCN) in Smithers, British Columbia.
We acknowledge that we work on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of many different Indigenous Nations throughout the Pacific Northwest Region of British Columbia. Acknowledging that we are on the traditional territories of Indigenous communities is an expression of cultural humility and involves recognizing our duty and desire to support the provision of culturally safe care to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people in BC.
The Bulkley Valley Witset Primary Care Network is currently in start-up! This phase follows years of planning and engagement across partners including the Witset Nation, First Nations Health Authority, Northern Health Authority, Pacific Northwest Division of Family Practice, and other community partners.
The Smithers Primary Care Clinic is a Nurse Practitioner led Clinic, which opened their doors at the beginning of 2023. It is an attachment clinic – we are connecting patients who do not have a doctor or nurse practitioner.
Northern Health covers an area of nearly 600,000 square kilometers and offers health services in over two dozen communities and 55 First Nation’s communities. Employing more than 7,000 staff throughout the region, Northern Health provides exceptional health services for Northerners, through the efforts of dedicated staff and physicians, in partnership with communities and organizations in Northern BC.
If you join the PCN team and move to Smithers, you would be able to enjoy mountains, rivers, forests and lakes…wild spaces to roam and breathe…and a vibrant and playful community. Spend some time in Smithers and you may find yourself engaging with a local—a Smithereen. They are passionate about their community! Whenthey aren’t paddling, pedaling or skiing through their landscape, they might enjoy wonderful food in one of the excellent restaurants or coffee shops. Smithereens are resourceful and entrepreneurial because they need to be. And they are neighbourly because it’s in their blood. This town is small enough that people feel a sense of ownership in the place they call home. They love where they live and love to share it with you. Smithers is known for lovely, wonderful, helping people worldwide. The Bulkley Valley also offers an amazing Art and Music scence. Grammy winning award winner Alex Cuba lives in Smithers, well known Valley Fiddlers perform frequently and the many music events are too many to list. The Midsummer Music Festival is a wonderful family event, and the Artisan Studio Tour is an annual self-guided Tour to various Artists Homes and Studios in August. You will find something to do no matter what your interests are!
If relocating into the region, our PCN team can offer a variety of supports to assist you and your family’s integration into the community. We can connect you to rental property owners or real estate agents, as well as any number of community services/resources you might be interested in, i.e., schools, recreation facilities, or just answer some questions. We gladly offer assistance with a possible site visit, tour of the community, introduction to the medical community and assist with integrating you into the clinic team and building your panel.
About Smithers
WHAT’S A SMITHEREEN?
Mountains, rivers, forests and lakes…wild spaces to roam and breathe…and a vibrant and playful community. Spend some time in Smithers and you may find yourself engaging with a town local—a Smithereen. They are passionate about their community! When they aren’t paddling, pedaling or skiing through their landscape, they work in forestry, mining, and on the railroad; they run farms and service businesses. They live just far enough away from any metropolis that they are somewhat self-reliant. Many heat their homes with wood and chop it themselves. They have chainsaws, tractors, horses and trucks. Lawyers, doctors, scientists and school teachers might spend their week in an office but on Saturday they’re likely hiking or harvesting hayfields. Smithereens are resourceful and entrepreneurial because they need to be. And they are neighbourly because it’s in their blood. This town is small enough that people feel a sense of ownership in the place they call home. They love where they live and love to share it with you.
THE STORY OF ALPINE AL
Because of its alpine environment, Smithers adopted an “alpine theme” in the 1970s. Main Street was adorned with alpine-style rooflines, red brick sidewalks and a wood sculpture called ALPINE AL, who plays the alphorn! Alpine Al has made his way into the hearts of many Smithereens and has become the guardian of Main Street and the official mascot, and logo, of the town. The current statue, erected in 2016, is seven feet tall, carved by chainsaw and made of 1,000-year-old red cedar. In recent years, Alpine Al has come to life in various animations on the TourismSmithers.com website, and now hikes, bikes and snowboards across these pages, inviting you on a good-natured adventure in this place we call Smithers!
The Community
STATS & DEMOGRAPHICS
Nearly 6,000 people live within the Smithers town boundary, but nearly 20,000 live in the Bulkley Valley and rural communities serviced by it. As a service centre, Smithers offers many more amenities than you might expect for a town its size.
EVENTS
- Schnai Day at Hudson Bay Mountain – Get your craziest costume on and head up to HUDSON BAY MOUNTAIN RESORT for a day packed full of awesomeness – annual April
- Midsummer Music Festival – three day family music festival, 40th Anniversary in 2023 – July long weeked
- Tyhee Lake Triathlon – annual in Telkwa
- Smithers Celebrity Golf Tournament – annual weekend that brings celebrities to town to raise money for charities and local projects – August
- Artisan Studio Tour – annual self-guided Tour to various Artists Homes and Studios – August
- Bulkley Valley Exhibition and Fall Fair – annual 4-day event for the whole family – rodeo, live-music and entertainment – end of August
as British Columbia’s northern capital, Prince George delivers a small-town feel with large-city amenities.
Videos
Smithers Physician Recruitment Video
Retired NHL hockey player/Olympic and World Champion DAN HAMHUIS tell us why SMITHERS, BC is such a wonderful place to live!
Opportunities
Family Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and the following Allied Health Professionals will provide support to the Bulkley Valley Witset Primary Care Network: Psychologist, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapist, Dietitian, Kinesiologist, Perinatal Nurse, Chronic Disease Management Nurse, Clinician Pharmacist.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Ability to communicate and collaborate with patients/clients/residents and families about health findings, diagnosis, treatment, self-care and prognosis.
- Ability to collaborate, consult with and formally refer patients/clients/residents to physicians and other health professionals when appropriate.
- Ability to critically assess and evaluate health research literature to determine best practices; ability to introduce education and evidence-based research.
- Ability to assess and recognize population health trends; ability to plan and implement strategies for population-based prevention and health promotion.
- Ability to implement and evaluate planned change.
- Ability to supervise others and evaluate the care they deliver.
- Ability to lead a team and work within a team.
- Ability to self-direct, interact, and adapt effectively with other professionals in complex, dynamic situations.
- Ability to transfer knowledge, teach, coach and mentor others.
- Ability to identify and respond appropriately to legal and ethical issues that may arise in patient/resident/client care.
- Ability to self-assess performance and assume responsibility and accountability for own professional development, educational or consultative assistance when appropriate.
Helpful Links
Health Match BC is a free recruitment service for healthcare professionals funded by the Government of British Columbia, Canada. We have been working with the provincial Health Authorities for over twenty years and have facilitated the recruitment of thousands of health professionals to British Columbia.
Register online and our recruitment consultants will:
- Guide and support you through the professional credentialing/licensing process.
- Provide you with information about BC, our communities and the health care facilities themselves.
- Work with you to determine where you want to focus your search efforts. You can be as specific as naming a particular facility or as broad as targeting multiple regions in the Province and we will match your skills and interests to job vacancies in regions or facilities of your choice.
- Connect you with prospective employers, sometimes before positions are even posted and when the time comes, we are here to support you in making a seamless transition to your new job.
- Provide you with information and guidance on the immigration process if you need it and connect you to the personal and professional support you will need from the initial stages of expressing interest through your first days on the job.