Alberta marked a milestone in rural health care as the Northern Alberta Medical Program welcomed its first cohort of 30 medical students to Northwestern Polytechnic. The program aims to increase access to family doctors and other health care professionals in rural and northern communities.The new training centre in Grande Prairie is part of Alberta’s $376 million, four-year plan to increase the number of medical school graduates. The University of Alberta has partnered with Northwestern Polytechnic to deliver Doctor of Medicine education at the Rural Medical Education Program Training Centre, while the University of Calgary has partnered with the University of Lethbridge to launch a similar centre in Lethbridge, expected to accept its first students in fall 2026..“What an exciting day for this trailblazing cohort of first-year medical students at Northwestern Polytechnic. We know family physicians who train in rural communities are more likely to practice in a rural location. The training centres in Grande Prairie and Lethbridge will give priority to rural applicants, host residencies, and offer clinics for the public, improving overall health care access in rural Alberta,” said Myles McDougall, Minister of Advanced Education.Once fully operational, the program will add 210 more seats provincewide, including 120 at the University of Alberta’s four-year program and 90 at the University of Calgary’s three-year program.“This program is an innovative approach to medical education that will help address rural physician shortages and attract future physicians who love rural life and want to launch their careers in the north. Congratulations to the students who are making history today,” said Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services..The Northern Alberta Medical Program is part of a broader provincial strategy to ensure all Albertans have timely access to care. Initiatives include expanding physician training, implementing new compensation models for family physicians and medical residents, supporting international medical graduates, and offering rural recruitment and retention incentives.“We are honoured to lead this initiative for northern Alberta. The NAMP students are part of an important milestone, and we are grateful for the warm welcome extended by the Grande Prairie community as they begin their journey as health care professionals,” said Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta.The program expansion began in 2023-24 with 10 students at each university. Alberta expects the first graduates from the University of Alberta under this expansion in 2026 and from the University of Calgary in 2027. Residency positions for new graduates and international medical graduates are also increasing under the initiative.
