Dalhousie University South West Nova Family Medicine Residency Program – Training Doctors to become Family Physicians in Yarmouth
When you’re needed, you step up to the plate! That’s what Dr. Kenny Yee believes, and he followed through when he was recently asked to accept the site director position with the Dalhousie University South West Nova Family Medicine Residency Program.
Dr. Kenny Yee (Site Director)
“Many of the residents that we trained in the 14 years of this residency program are actually serving our Tri-County communities as family physicians and are involved in the residency program now. I have been with this program from the start and felt it a real honor to serve as the site director in January 2025.”
Dr. Yee’s big smile and sense of humour is always evident, and they serve him well in a very busy position. But what exactly is the residency program? Dr. Yee tells us more.
“In the residency program, we train doctors to be family physicians. These family medicine residents are either Canadian Medical Graduates (CMGs) or International Medical Graduates (IMGs). In their first year, they spend about two days a week in the family medicine clinic with the preceptor. In the second year, they spend three days a week. We actually get to know the residents very well – they’re almost like family by the time we’re done.”
But those days aren’t the only time spent learning, not at all. “On the days when they’re not working directly in the family medicine clinic, the residents rotate through different services (such as doing deliveries, hospitalist care, emergency room care, etc.) so they can learn all the skills needed for family medicine.”
Programs like the Family Medicine Residency Program are vitally important to healthcare in our region, and we at the foundation are proud to offer annual support. And as a matter of fact, Dr. Yee himself was a member of our board for nine years! He remembers his time fondly. “I was amazed at the amount of talent in that group of people, and they were just volunteering their time. And the amount of money that was raised was amazing!”
We continue to recognize the importance of a thriving healthcare system in our region, and we know our wonderfully generous community will always have our back. If you want to help us in our mission, learn more about the many ways you can donate! Or, make a simple online donation today!
