Join a supportive and congenial team providing unattached and unassigned inpatient care at the Comox Valley Hospital (CVH) in Courtenay, British Columbia on Vancouver Island.

The CVH has Hospitalist (Doctor of the Day) lines, as well as community family physicians who admit and manage their (or their call group's) own patients. The 153-bed community acute care hospital serves a population base of approximately 70,000 people. CVH is affiliated with the University of British Columbia and the Strathcona Site Family Practice Residency Program with opportunities for teaching.

Hospitalist (Doctor of the Day) responsibilities include: admitting and providing follow up team based family medicine care to unattached and unassigned inpatients at CVH. Each physician provides care for approximately 13-17 patients. The physician will be responsible to the Doctor of the Day Lead and Division Head of Family Practice for their professional responsibilities and quality of practice and will operate within the Medical Staff Bylaws of the Island Health Authority.

Hospitalist (Doctor of the Day) work alongside colleagues in Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine, community Family Medicine, Geriatric Psychiatry, General Surgery, Internal Medicine (general and sub-specialty who cover the 8 bed ICU), Obstetrics/Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Palliative care, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Radiology (U/S, CT, MRI, ECHO), and Urology. Established links exist with tertiary care centres 1 hour away (Nanaimo) and 2.5 hours away (Victoria).

The team strives to make physician schedules flexible and accessible. Full-time, part-time, or locum opportunities are available in 3, 4, or, 7-day shifts. Alternative options may be also be available, including night call only shifts. Daytime coverage is 8 am to 5 pm (although may extend past this, depending on patient load) and on-call coverage is 5 pm to 8 am.

Remuneration: A daily stipend of $568, in addition to fee for service billings and Unattached Inpatient Program (UIP) admission bonuses. In general, physicians can expect an average income of approximately $175 per hour during the day.

Site Visit & Relocation Allowance Programs: May be eligible for site visit and relocation cost reimbursement. Eligibility is processed through Island Health Authority.

May be eligible for additional remuneration in accordance with the Rural Subsidiary Agreement (RSA), including (subject to change): 

• Recruitment Incentive: up to a maximum of $10,000 (pro-rated based on FTE)
• Relocation: up to a maximum of $15,000 (amount based on location relocating from)
• Flat fee: $10,516.77
• Fee Premium: 6.93%
• CME: Rural CME starting at $2,200/annum in years 3 & 4 in the community, increasing to a maximum of $4,400/annum after 4 years

Rural Recruitment - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)

Student Loan Forgiveness Program: Comox Valley is a community designated for the Canada Student Loan forgiveness. Successful candidates may be eligible for Canada Student Loan forgiveness if they meet other eligibility requirements - see Gov of Canada website.

Qualifications Required:

• Eligible for licensure as a Family Physician with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC).
• Satisfy the credentialing requirements of Vancouver Island Health Authority, Comox Valley Hospital. 
• Membership with the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA).
• ACLS Desired

Community Information: Scenic Comox Valley is one of the Vancouver Island’s best-kept secrets! It is surrounded by majestic mountains, rushing rivers, lush rain forests, and shimmering seas. The winters are short and mild with warm, dry summers. The Valley includes several communities: Comox (a relaxed seaside town), Courtenay (a bustling urban city), Cumberland (a young and artistic village), and rural areas North and South including the islands of Hornby and Denman.

The Valley is an ideal place to raise a family with excellent schools, and a community college. There is a friendly and supportive physician community and an outstanding number of opportunities for recreational programs both indoors and out to support work/life balance. There are lots of annual festivals, a performing arts theatre, great boutique shopping, wonderful restaurants, farmers markets, and vineyards. Mount Washington Ski Resort, a 20-minute drive away, has 1700 acres of terrain and Cumberland has world-renowned mountain biking trails available year-round. 

Contact: If you are interested, please reach out to the Comox Valley Division of Family Practice Recruitment Coordinator at comoxvalleyrecruitment@comoxvalleydivision.ca