Family Practitioner

Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice; Hazelton; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 160,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Turnkey practice opportunity

Salaried compensation

Housing support for new physicians

Job summary

The Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice is seeking a Family Physician in Hazelton, BC to provide Opioid Agonist Treatment and comprehensive primary care services. This 0.5 FTE position allows practitioners to maintain a supportive work-life balance.

Ideal candidates should have experience with substance use treatment and a commitment to collaborative, interprofessional practice. The medical staff will provide mentorship, ensuring a smooth transition into the role.

This role offers a salaried compensation model without overhead costs, accommodating for flexible work arrangements.

Qualifications

• Committed to working in partnership with Indigenous peoples.
• Comfortable practicing at a distance from tertiary specialist services.
• Enjoys collaborative, interprofessional practice in a rural setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide maintenance OAT care for approximately 20 patients per month.
• Maintain a minimum patient panel of 325 patients.
• No on-call or emergency department responsibilities.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Experience with substance use treatment

Team-based OAT provision

Indigenous cultural safety training

Education

Hold current ACLS and ATLS certification

Completed Indigenous Cultural Safety training

Job description

Position Summary

Northern Health, in collaboration with the Hazelton Primary Care Network, is seeking a Family Physician to provide Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT) and comprehensive primary care services in Hazelton, BC. This is a 0.5 FTE position, equivalent to approximately 840–1,050 hours per year.

Scope of Practice

• Provide maintenance OAT care for approximately 20 patients per month, including initiations and inpatient OAT consultations as clinically required.
• Maintain a minimum patient panel of 325 patients.
• There is no requirement to act as Most Responsible Provider (MRP) for hospitalized patients.
• No on‑call or emergency department responsibilities are required in this role.

Team Support & Mentorship

This role is exceptionally well supported by an interdisciplinary team that includes:

• Community mental health and substance use support workers
• Registered nurses
• Social services professionals

An experienced Hazelton‑based clinician will provide mentorship and support to ensure a smooth transition into the role. The medical staff invite you to explore the context of their practice in the beautiful Upper Skeena (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

• Curious about and committed to working in partnership with Indigenous peoples.
• Enjoys collaborative, interprofessional practice in a rural setting.
• Comfortable 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.
• Experience and familiarity with substance use treatment in rural and remote settings.
• Experience with team‑based OAT provision and has completed the Provincial Opioid Addictions Treatment Support Program.
• Brings a person‑centred approach that reflects the full continuum of substance use care, including harm reduction, withdrawal management, and recovery‑oriented services.
• Hold current ACLS and ATLS certification (PALS preferred).
• Completed Indigenous Cultural Safety training.

Benefits

• Turnkey practice opportunity – no lease, buy‑in, or independent staff hiring.
• Salaried compensation – no fee‑for‑service billing.
• No overhead costs – the clinic is operated by Northern Health, with a clinic coordinator, administrative coordinator, and an experienced team of MOAs employed by NHA.
• Flexible work arrangements designed to support work‑life balance and long‑term sustainability for the entire group.
• Housing support – newly recruited physicians may apply for up to three months of temporary housing through Northern Health to support relocation. Housing may accommodate families and/or pets, subject to availability.

Our Team

The Wrinch Medical Staff are a highly collaborative, inclusive team committed to delivering high quality, culturally safe care. They value empathy, humour, kindness, and a strong sense of connection both with each other and with the community they serve. The team provides full‑scope medical care to the region and currently includes:

• 10 Family Physicians (working toward 9.5 FTE through a provider partnership model)
• 1 GP Anesthetist (ideally expanding to 2)
• 3 Nurse Practitioners
• 3 Registered Midwives

Provider Partnership Model

In Spring 2020, Family Physicians and Nurse Practitioners implemented a Provider Partnership Model, pairing part‑time Family Physicians together. Each clinician maintains their own patient panel; however, when one partner is away, the other covers results and inpatients. This arrangement allows clinicians to be fully off work when desired and has significantly improved:

• Continuity of care
• Clinic efficiency
• Patient access

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 clinicians also conduct outreach clinics once a week as guests at the community health centres (Sik‑E‑Dakh, Anspayaxw, Gitsegukla, Gitwangak, Gitanyow). Learners will often be scheduled to accompany their preceptors for these clinics.