Survey of Internationally Educated Health Professionals on PEI Under Way
At a time when
One of four parallel studies now under way in the
The
purpose of this project is to better understand the complex concerns and
challenges that internationally educated health professionals have about coming
to and staying on Prince Edward Island,” says Dr. Baldacchino, who has carried
out a survey of recent settlers to PEI for the province’s Population
Secretariat in 2005. “This is being done initially through a web-based, anonymous
questionnaire survey, available in either English or French. It will be
followed by one-on-one interviews.” Records suggest that there are around 60
IEHPs living on
With financial support from Health
The study concerns physicians, registered and licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, dental hygienists and assistants, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, medical laboratory technologists, radiologists and other medical
specialists, psychologists and psychiatrists. Associations and bodies representing such health professionals can help support this timely study by encouraging any of their members who have their qualifications from outside
“This study is being complemented by a case-by-case approach with another IEHP project directed by the PEI-ANC, which involves delivering two courses: English for the Health Professions and Orientation to the Canadian and PEI Healthcare System,” says Kevin Arsenault, Executive Director of the PEI-ANC. “This approach is especially useful to identify and develop suitable pathways for bridging learning or training gaps for those who have had professional training in the health sector outside
Policy and program recommendations emerging from the survey results — and those emerging from parallel studies in the rest of Atlantic Canada — should help to inform any initiatives to attract, retain, and improve the work conditions of health professionals in the province and region.
This
research exercise has been reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Board
(REB) at the
For survey details, including access, please contact Godfrey Baldacchino at UPEI (tel: 902-566-0909; e-mail: gbaldacchino@upei.ca) or Michelle Hood at the PEI-ANC (tel: (902) 628-6009; e-mail: michelleh@peianc.com).