Family Physician Opportunities in Hazelton, BC
Practice medicine to your full scope with a supportive team on beautiful Gitxsan Territory
Hazelton, BC
The Clinical Experience
The Wrinch Medical Staff provides full-scope care to the region and is made up of 10 family physicians currently filling 5.3 FTE, 2 GP-anesthetists, 3 nurse practitioners, and 3 registered midwives who have an incredibly collaborative model of care.
Wrinch Medical Clinic provides 11 exam rooms with full support staff including MOAs, specialist booking, billing, and a clinic coordinator.
Wrinch Memorial Hospital serves a population of 8,000 with a 24-hour emergency department (second on-call system), 9 complex care beds, 10 acute care beds, 1 respite bed, 1 secure psychiatric observation room, midwifery-led maternity care, pharmacy, dental clinic, laboratory, and medical imaging, including ultrasound, as well as visiting specialist services including OB/GYN, IM, rheumatology, general surgery, urology, and geriatrics.
Most of the clinicians do frequent outreach clinics to many of the surrounding Indigenous communities, and learners can participate based on their interest in these relationship-based clinic models. Working in Hazelton provides an opportunity to be deeply engaged with and improve skills in patient-centered care, navigating complex ethical situations, and advocacy for access for rural/remote and marginalized patients. Learners are encouraged to examine their role in a health system with a complex relationship to the historical and ongoing violence of settler colonialism.
Wrinch Medical Clinic regularly hosts medical students, residents, and locums, and is a host clinic for the UBC Family Medicine Residency (cARMS) program.
The Community
Hazelton is located in the Upper Skeena Region in Gitxsan Territory under the towering cliffs of Stekyawden mountain where the Xsan (Skeena) and Wedzenkwah (Bulkley) Rivers meet. Upstream from the confluence, a suspension bridge spans the Bulkley River Canyon in Tse-kya (Hagwilget Village) and provides a spectacular landmark.
Hazelton is located in the Upper Skeena Region in Gitxsan Territory under the towering cliffs of Stekyawden mountain where the Xsan (Skeena) and Wedzinkwah (Bulkley) Rivers meet. Upstream from the confluence, a suspension bridge spans the Bulkley River Canyon in Tse-kya (Hagwilget Village) and provides a spectacular landmark.
The Hazeltons are comprised of two municipalities (the Village of Hazelton and the District of New Hazelton), four unincorporated communities (South Hazelton, Two Mile, Kitwanga, and the Kispiox Valley), seven Gitxsan villages (Gitanmaax, Sik-e-Dakh, Anspayaxw, Gitsegukla, Gitwangak, and Gitanyow), and one Wet’suwet’en village (Tse-kya/Hagwilget).
If you love nature walks, hiking, getting immersed in local culture and outdoor activities, you will love Hazelton. The climate is not as cold as one would expect due to the Pacific air masses. You can still expect freezing temperatures but not as much snow as elsewhere in Northern BC. There are ski hills in nearby Smithers and Terrace, and an active backcountry ski community who can help guide you if this is an interest. (text beside image of local hiking trail)
The rivers and lakes are exceptional, and fishing is the best you will find – bringing people from all over the world to fish here. If you enjoy a more relaxing atmosphere, there are plenty of lakes to paddle board or kayak. The forests are rich with flora and fauna, and there is opportunity for prime mushroom foraging. There are several provincial parks to explore and the world renowned Ksan Historical Village.
There are adventure groups where you can take to the woods and trails on horseback. We have some brand-new electric mountain bikes that providers can borrow, and friends are happy to show you the trails. The medical community is remarkably social, and you will be welcomed into a young and interesting community of people who enjoy spending time together in many ways outside of work, that contributes to a feeling of community based around the hospital and clinic.