New training program addresses rural health care gaps by equipping family physicians with emergency medicine skills

(HORIZON) – An innovative training program is helping to prepare family physicians for comprehensive patient care while also providing them with experience in emergency medicine.

The Sussex Integrated Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine (iFMEM) program, a collaboration between Horizon Medical Education and Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick’s Department of Family Medicine, recently welcomed its second cohort of medical residents. 

Residents provide primary care in a community-based office at Horizon’s Sussex Health Centre (SHC) while also having privileges at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital (SJRH). 

Most of their three-year training takes place in Sussex, where they collaborate with a family physician and regularly work in SHC’s Emergency Department. 

The program came from a desire to train physicians to provide care in an emergency department (ED) setting, while also simultaneously practicing family medicine. 

“Family physicians in smaller communities, who often staff emergency rooms, need to be highly trained and able to handle situations that their colleagues in larger centres often don’t encounter,” said Dr. Brian O’Neill, a family physician based in Sussex and a preceptor in the iFMEM program. “When finished, the physicians will be well-positioned to start a family practice of their own.” 

In addition to family and emergency medicine, residents also complete both clinical and rotation blocks, while also gaining integrated longitudinal experience in various specialties, including general surgery, geriatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, and palliative care. 

“Integrated Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine training is new in Canada, but there is high demand for these residency spots,” said Dr. Ken Gillespie, Horizon’s Regional Director, Medical Education. “The program is tailored to meet the demands of rural hospitals, including the Sussex Health Centre.” 

There are currently four medical residents enrolled in the program — two in their first year and two in their second year — with two more set to join in 2026. 

Program feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with participants citing the small group size, hands-on training, and the ability to follow patients through various care as key benefits. 

Residency positions within the Saint John/Sussex iFMEM program are extremely sought after, with more applicants than there are available seats. 

O’Neill added the hope is that some of the medical residents will set up their own practice in the Sussex area once they have completed their training.

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