REGINA — Starting April 1, the Government of Saskatchewan is offering an enhanced Rural Physician Incentive Program (RPIP) to help attract and retain more family physicians to rural and northern communities. The total incentive is now up to $200,000 over five years, more than four times the amount that was previously offered.
Premier Scott Moe announced the enhanced incentive at the 2023 SARM Annual Convention and Trade Show Wednesday.
According to a release issued by the government, the $47,000 total incentive that was previously offered is increasing to $200,000 to help attract more family physicians to rural and northern communities across Saskatchewan. To incentivize retention, the length of the program is increasing from four years to five years. Eligibility for the incentive is also expanding beyond new graduates and will now include physicians practicing in rural and northern communities who have been assessed through the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment Program (SIPPA).
"The enhanced incentive of up to $200,000 over five years will help attract more family physicians to rural and northern communities across Saskatchewan," Rural and Remote Health Minister Everett Hindley said in the release, "Family physicians play an important role in rural and northern communities because they also support emergency departments, acute care beds, and other important services provided by local health care facilities."
The Rural Physician Incentive Program first launched in 2013-14 to incentivize recent graduates to take up practice in rural and northern communities across the province.
