Medical training has officially arrived in southern Alberta, as the University of Lethbridge officially launched the Southern Alberta Medical Program (SAMP) on Monday. Classes are now underway for the inaugural cohort of students in the program, offered jointly by the U of L and the University of Calgary. “I grew up in Lethbridge. I did my kindergarten to Grade 12 and then my bachelor of science and neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge, so me wanting to practice in Lethbridge was my ultimate goal for medicine,” said Andrea Monsalve, SAMP student. The new program has launched with an initial intake of 20 students, with future classes having capacity for up to 30. “The University of Calgary’s degree is three years, so they do 18 months of the classroom study, and then after that they go into the community and do what’s called a clerkship,” explained Dr. Rick Buck, SAMP associate dean. “The unique part of this particular program is that they can do all of their training in southern Alberta.” SAMP learners will follow the U of C’s three-year undergraduate medical education curriculum. Upon graduation, students will receive a medical degree from the U of C. Buck says the program comes at a critical time for the health-care sector as much of the country faces an ongoing doctor shortage. “Southern Alberta is not immune to this phenomenon,” said Buck. “I can think about several communities, and even here in Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, where people are saying, ‘I really need a family doctor,’ or, ‘It’s tough for me to get in to see the specialist,’ so the need is definitely there.” To fund the infrastructure and expansion, the Alberta government is investing $224 million into its overarching Rural Medical Education Program. The capital funding is being split between two regional training hubs in Lethbridge and Grande Prairie. “We’re going to be able to service rural Alberta here with the Southern Alberta Medical Program in a way that is going to build generational success,” said Justin Wright, minister of primary and preventive health services and MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat. “This new program is an important step in building Alberta’s physician workforce, expanding access to care and ensuring more Albertans can receive care closer to home.” While the first cohort officially began their studies this past July, the program has been years in the making. Planning began in 2023, the program was officially approved in April 2024 and a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions took place in May 2024. “The reason we exist is to make sure we have a vibrant, healthy, well-educated workforce and health system,” said Sandra Davidson, vice-president academic with the U of C. “To be a part of that and see this come together after so many false starts, so many missed opportunities to have it come together, is really, really gratifying.” The first cohort of students is set to graduate in 2029.
