According to B.C.’s Minister of Health, Josie Osborne, 140 American health care workers have been hired in B.C. since May, including eight allied health professionals, 80 nurses, 16 nurse practitioners, and 38 doctors, with more expected. The British Columbia government launched a recruitment campaign for health care workers in June and July in select cities in Washington, Oregon, and California, and is continuing the campaign through academic journals and other means.
British Columbia has undertaken various initiatives to attract American medical professionals. For nurses, the province has expedited the certification process for nurses educated and certified in the United States. 535 nurses and 104 nurse practitioners are already registered with the BC Nurse-Midwives Association. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia also amended its bylaws to allow American-educated doctors to practice in British Columbia without additional evaluation, examination, or training. As a result, 29 doctors have been registered to date.
In a statement, the provincial government said that at a time when American society is shaken by uncertainty, many American healthcare professionals are attracted to British Columbia’s science-based approach, its commitment to reproductive rights, and its universal health care system, meaning residents can expect better healthcare services.