Two new medical residents in Moosomin
Southeast Residency Program:
August 11, 2025, 9:51 am
Ashley Bochek
The Town of Moosomin along with the Southeast Integrated Care Centre welcomed two new medical residents to the Southeast Residency Program this summer.
Dr. Bushra Amir and Dr. Obianuju Ossai recently moved to the community and began practicing medicine. The Southeast Residency Program is based in Moosomin and also encompasses Humboldt and Weyburn. The two doctors chose Moosomin’s residency program to experience working in rural medicine.
“When I was ranking my list—there are urban areas and rural areas—there were three sites in the Southeast Residency Program, but one thing about Moosomin is it’s close to Regina, it is close to Brandon and Winnipeg, and second thing, I wanted to work in a rural area,” explains Dr. Amir. “I grew up in a rural area and I know the challenges. I remember the challenges that my great grandfather had—he had cancer and we had to drive an hour or so to a hospital, and I hadn’t been back to that environment so I wanted to work within that. In Saskatchewan, we have a lot of opportunities to work in these areas and I am glad that I am here because it is rural, but it’s also a very close-knit community. It reminds me of the kind of environment I remember when I was a child gorwing up in a small village in Pakistan.”
Dr. Ossai adds her connection to rural communities. “I am someone who has experienced living in both rural and urban areas growing up, and from my experience I have very nice memories from when I was growing up in a rural area. It was a community working together, which is what I would love for my own children to have. I want them to have that same experience.
“Growing up in a rural area there was also some health issues, my mom was sick, and she was diagnosed late because we were living in a rural area then. So from my experience I believe working in rural areas I will have more impact in taking care of patients.”
Dr. Ossai says the Indigenous communities near Moosomin interest her. “Another interesting thing about Moosomin is the Indigenous groups here. Since I have been preparing for exams I have heard a lot about them. I’ve read a lot and
it is quite fascinating. I believe Moosomin will also give me that opportunity to learn their culture, get to know them—that is one other factor that made me choose Moosomin.
“Since I have been here, it goes beyond my expectations. We came from a big city where everybody in the neighbourhood kept to themselves, but the very first moment I arrived in Moosomin there were lots of people waving at me and welcoming me—that is a community working together, getting to know your neighbour, just more social support. I also like the nature, the trees, it is a beautiful place, and the fact that I can go to Regina to do some shopping is also something I like about Moosomin— it is close to Regina and Winnipeg. That is why I chose Moosomin.”
Southeast Residency Program
Dr. Ossai explains the residency program in Moosomin as integrative and interactive.
“I think it is a hands-on experience because we are just two residents, and there are 15 preceptors so we get to treat patients. There is lots of independence and learning for us which is quite different from in a bigger setting where there are many residents where you struggle to have that experience, so that is what’s special about the experience here.”
Dr. Amir adds, “It is wonderful here. In the program description it’s more resident-orientated. It is not like we are depending on residents because there is a huge difference— when you are crunched up because everyone has capacity and you can’t go beyond that—one person can only do a certain amount of things so we are doing what we are supposed to, but in a way we are learning too, so that is a beautiful thing about this program. I am glad even though it is a new program everything is so organized and mature, everyone knows the demand of the program, they help guide us.”
“You’re also getting your own time with patients even though we are just two residents here,” said Dr Amir.
Improvement within short period
Dr. Ossai says within a few weeks of beginning her residency, she has learned beyond her expectations.
“For the limited amount of time we have spent here, I have noticed a lot of improvement. I’ve gotten to do procedures I have never tried before. I’ve seen cases I’ve never come across and there is so much support, so for me to get this kind of improvement in a short time I can’t imagine where I will be in a year’s time. That is a great benefit too with working in Moosomin.”
Dr. Amir says her family has enjoyed living in Moosomin so far. “I am loving it because in Ontario we have a house, but we have limited space there, our backyard is small. Here even though we are in an apartment there is still lots of land and space. My kids just joined me last week and they’re loving it. They can go wherever and it is safe for them to just go out and walk around. In terms of raising a family, my residency and continuing my profession, everything is going very strongly so far. I am just concerned about my kids going to a new school—they are worried about that too, but hopefully they meet lots of new kids and make new friends.”
Dr Ossai adds, “There is a lot of support from our supervisors as well. They want to know how we are doing on a personal level as well—how it has been balancing our family and work. So there is a lot of support from everyone.”
Retention and recruitment of physicians in rural Saskatchewan
Dr. Amir says many physicians strive to learn and experience as much as they can throughout their medical careers, and rural communities offer great exposure to new experiences.
“Some of the preceptors at the hospital here have been here for 30 years or more, so I was asking why. The only challenge for physicians is that they want a lot of experience in terms of we have hands-on, but we don’t have a variety of patients. This is the goal of the professional to understand different diseases, to see them, treat them, whatever we read in the books we have to apply that, so that is the only challenge when you are working in a rural setting.
“So the answer that I got from my preceptors is the same—they were telling me that being one person I know what is my capacity and I think we have enough different chronic medical conditions that we are treating, we have acute injuries, we are running emergencies that not in the domain of a family doctor in other areas, so we have exposure in so many different things for one physician to handle so that is the thing I think attracts them and that is why they stay.
“For future doctors as well, I think of myself, I am here for four years, and who knows after four years. Another physician I was talking to was saying they had planned to be here for two years in the beginning and decided they’d stay for 30 more. So who knows after four years—I am going to be so absorbed in the process of learning and practicing and knowing everyone around me. When I work in the clinic I see that one patient can come to any of the doctors, we all have information and access so we can provide the best possible care, so I think this is a good thing. We have to inform professionals and doctors that we can get the opportunities we are looking for in other areas so we have to raise awareness about it. If we can involve other newspapers in other areas or just get our thoughts out to the public, that is how more physicians hear how practice works in these areas.”
Dr. Ossai says support of families and spouses from rural communities can help recruit and retain physicians.
“One thing I really looked at before coming to Moosomin was how my husband would also find work. My husband really loves to play tennis as well so that was another thing, to see what kind of activities and sports are here. He was very excited to see that there is that here. In terms of work, I think there are a lot of opportunities for him too. It is not just about accommodating us residents, but also how spouses can be supported within the community with their own career. So I think that is important for small towns with residents and doctors to have opportunities for their spouses to work as well because that creates even more of a chance that they are going to stay for more years, and Moosomin has that.”
Excited for future in Moosomin
The two residents are excited to become more involved in the community over the next few years of their residency.
“I am looking forward to getting as much experience as possible to be independent and get very good at what we are doing to give the patients the best care,” Dr. Ossai said. “I am also looking forward to being fully integrated into the community. I think everybody knows everybody here and I am looking forward to that community feeling as well.”
Dr Amir adds, “I look forward to meeting and getting to know new people, as well as the Indigenous community. I never really have had experience with that in the past. I met one Indigenous person in Ontario—he was very friendly so I want to get to know a different culture. He told me about their smoking practices they do so we kept talking about their practices and religion so I think we can learn a lot in upcoming years professionally and socially. Any challenges going forward I am curious to see if my kids are going to be integrated into the society, community, and their friends.”
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