Creative recruitment project gives doctors a 3D experience of Prince Edward Island
Doctors considering a career in PEI can walk the simulated halls of Island healthcare facilities and experience community landmarks thanks to a virtual reality project to help recruit doctors to the province.
The physician recruitment virtual reality (VR) project gives doctors three-dimensional exposure to what it is like to live and work on PEI, without having to travel to the province.
“A visit to PEI can often help convince potential recruits that our Island is a great place to live and work. As national and international travel continues to be a challenge, this VR technology, brings the Island experience to a physician, no matter where they are in the world.”
- Health and Wellness Minister Ernie Hudson
A doctor interested in working in PEI can receive a package from the local physicians recruiting physicians team, with a variety of Island products and a virtual reality headset. The headset is preloaded with scenes of the Island and a virtual work site visit in Island healthcare facilities, guided by the voice of Dr. Megan Miller, chief physician recruiter, Medical Society of Prince Edward Island.
Phase I of the project, launched this week, highlighted all that Summerside and surrounding areas have to offer, including visits to the Prince County Hospital, Harbourside Health Centre, and Summerside Medical Centre. Phase II will showcase Charlottetown and surrounding areas.
“Virtual reality is a creative approach to our recruitment efforts – one that we hope gives us a competitive advantage,” said Dr. Miller. “While the immersive technology is impressive, this was also a way for us to introduce physicians considering PEI to future colleagues. PEI physicians embraced this idea and have been quick to contribute in front of the camera to showcase the medical career and lifestyle offered in PEI. This is the essence of a physicians recruiting physicians recruitment model.”
The 3D virtual reality production was created by Castaway VR, a division of Furrow Studio, a local and national award-winning company based in Charlottetown.
The VR headsets will take their first trip this week, as the recruitment team ventures off to St. John’s, Newfoundland, to meet with medical students, residents, and physicians.
This project is an outcome of the Physicians Recruiting Physicians program. The program, the first of its kind in Canada, was launched in November 2020. It’s a recruitment model that immerses physicians into the recruitment efforts. The program is co-led by the Department of Health and Wellness, Health PEI, and the Medical Society of Prince Edward Island.
Prince Edward Island is currently recruiting for physician vacancies in several areas that include; family medicine, anesthesia, psychiatry, emergency medicine, medical microbiology, pathology, and obstetrics/gynecology.
Media contact:
Ron Ryder
Department of Health and Wellness
902-314-6367
rrryder@gov.pe.ca
Sheila Kerry
Medical Society of PEI
(902) 368-7303 ext. 108
sheila@mspei.org