Family physician comes home to practise at health centre

EDSON – Local residents have increased access to primary care with the arrival of a new family physician who grew up here.

Dr. Catherine Roder is a family medicine physician now working out of the Edson Medical Centre.

“It’s a pleasure to welcome Dr. Roder back to the community,” says Dr. Jane Ojedokun, Associate Zone Medical Director for Alberta Health Services (AHS). “Dr. Roder has strong ties with the Edson community, having graduated from high school here and having her family residing in the community.”

Dr. Roder is also a past student of Integrated Community Clerkship, a University of Alberta program that gives third-year medical students the opportunity to have a nine-month clerkship in a rural community.

“She then went on to a rural family medicine residency,” says Dr. Ojedokun. “We are really proud to have her back in the community and this goes to show that once medical students are exposed to the uniqueness of rural medicine, they are often keen to come back and work in such communities. This is a success story for the university and rural residency program.”

Dr. Roder becomes the 16th family physician practising in town. Dr. Roder received her medical training at the University of Alberta, completing her medical residency through the U of A’s Rural Alberta North program in Grande Prairie.

In her free time, Dr. Roder says she enjoys spending time with her dog Mushu, as well as hiking, reading and baking.

AHS continues to recruit for family physicians across northern Alberta to meet community needs.

AHS has physician resource planners who are dedicated to identifying and pursuing international and domestic physician recruitment opportunities. They work closely with various community partners and organizations, such as local Health Advisory Councils, the Rural Health Professions Action Plan, and independent physician recruitment and retention committees.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.