The communities that make up what is collectively known as the Upper Skeena, or “the Hazeltons”, are situated on the unceded traditional territory of the Gitxsan Nation. The Gitxsan people have lived on these lands for 10,000+ years and along with the Wet'suwet'en Nation to the east, established the precedent setting Delgamuukw court decision in 1997. Some of the communities included in the Upper Skeena are the incorporated municipalities of Hazelton and New Hazelton, unincorporated settlements of South Hazelton, Two Mile, Suskwa Valley, Miskinish (Cedarvale), Kitwanga Valley, Andimal and the Kispiox Valley, and the 7 Indigenous villages of Gitanyow, Gitwangak, Gitsegukla, Hagwilget, Gitanmaax, Sik-e-dakh and Anspayaxw. Some would say the natural beauty of the land is unparalleled – it certainly holds a central place in health and wellbeing for many of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous people who live on these unceded lands. https://www.northernhealth.ca/our-communities/the-hazeltons
Northern Health is seeking a rural generalist Family Physician to provide part time or full time rural generalist services in Hazelton, BC, based at Wrinch Memorial Hospital and Wrinch Medical Clinic. This role includes community based primary care, emergency department coverage, inpatient care, and long term care. Compensation is provided through the group Alternative Payment Plan (APP).
SCOPE OF PRACTICE
Physicians in this role provide comprehensive rural generalist care, including:
- Community based Family Medicine
- Emergency Department (ER) coverage
- Inpatient care
- Long term care services
- Participation in outreach clinics in surrounding communities (optional but common)
Work schedules are flexible and tailored to support individual professional goals and work life balance. All hours worked — clinic, inpatient, and ER — contribute to the contracted FTE commitment.
TEAM SUPPORT & MENTORSHIP
The role is well supported by:
- A highly collaborative physician group
- Nurse Practitioners, Registered Midwives, and interdisciplinary health professionals
- Visiting specialists providing regular consultation support
- Buddy ER shifts for onboarding and mentorship to support a safe and confident transition into emergency work
Locum coverage is coordinated on behalf of the group.
The medical staff invite you to explore the context of their practice in the beautiful Upper Skeena at www.hazdocs.ca. Get a sense of the group’s spirit and connectedness by visiting the Hazelton Rural Medicine Instagram account: @haz.docs.
IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE
You will be a strong fit if you:
- Are committed to providing care in partnership with Indigenous peoples, and
- Enjoy collaborative, interprofessional rural practice.
Working in Hazelton means practicing at a distance from tertiary specialist services and advanced imaging. Strong communication skills and effective collaboration with local and remote colleagues using digital health technologies are essential.
The ideal candidate will:
- Have emergency department experience
- Hold current ACLS and ATLS certification (PALS preferred)
- Have completed Indigenous Cultural Safety training
- Experience working in rural or remote settings
- Experience in interprofessional team based practice
- POCUS experience
- Experience caring for patients with substance use challenges
BENEFITS
- Turnkey practice — no lease, buy in, or independent staff hiring
- Salaried compensation — no fee for service billing
- No overhead costs — clinic operated by Northern Health with clinic leadership and MOAs employed by NHA
- Flexible work arrangements that support sustainability and work life balance
- Housing support — up to three months of temporary housing may be available to support relocation (may accommodate families and/or pets, subject to availability)
OUR TEAM
The Wrinch Medical Staff are a highly collaborative, inclusive, and compassionate team committed to delivering high quality, culturally safe care. They value empathy, humour, kindness, and working better together.
The Wrinch Medical Staff provide full scope care to the region and currently include:
- 10 Family Physicians (working toward 9.5 FTE)
- 1 GP Anesthetist (with a goal of expanding to 2)
- 3 Nurse Practitioners
- 3 Registered Midwives
The team practices within an exceptionally collaborative model of care.
VISITING SPECIALIST SUPPORT
Regular visiting specialist services at Wrinch include:
- Pediatrics
- Internal Medicine
- General Surgery
- Rheumatology
- Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Cardiology
- Geriatric Assessment Team
PROVIDER PARTNERSHIP MODEL
Implemented in Spring 2020, the Provider Partnership Model pairs part time Family Physicians together. Each clinician maintains their own patient panel; when one partner is away, the other covers results and inpatient responsibilities, allowing the first clinician to be fully off work if they choose.
This model has significantly improved:
- Continuity of care
- Clinic workflow
- Access to care
The physician selected for this position will be paired with a partner clinician to support onboarding, coverage, and shared practice continuity.
CLINICAL TEACHING
Teaching is a time-honored tradition in Hazelton. There is an ongoing rotation of Medical Students, Nurse Practitioner Students, Midwifery Students and Medical Residents. Many of our clinicians also do outreach clinics once a week as guests at the community community health centres (Sik-E-Dakh, Anspayaxw, Gitsegukla, Gitwangak, Gitanyow). Learners will often be scheduled to accompany their preceptors for these clinics.
Wrinch Memorial Hospital has a wonderful history of community service and is unique in the number of services offered under one roof. It serves the people of the Upper Skeena, a largely Indigenous population of 8,000 with:
- 9 Complex Care beds
- 1 Respite bed
- 10 Acute Care beds
- 1 secure psychiatric observation room
- Pharmacy
- Dental Clinic
- Laboratory
- Outpatient Clinic where midwives, NPs and doctors work side by side
- Medical Imaging including ultrasound
Other health and community care services including:
- Interprofessional Community Team including public health, mental health and substance use services, home care nursing and home support, primary care nursing, palliative care, Integrated Child and Youth Team, etc.
- Skeena Place Assisted Living Complex
- Pre and Post-Natal outreach programs
- Massage therapy
- Foot care
- Chiropractic care
Indigenous services:
- Wilp D’mootxw Nec’a Yikh (FNHA Primary Care Clinic)
- Health Centres in Gitanyow, Gitwangak, Gitsegukla, Hagwilget, Gitanmaax, Sik-e-dakh, Anspayaxw
- Gitxsan Child and Family Services
- Gitanmaax Child and Family Services
