Oxford’s new family medicine residency aims to improve access
Oxford County will soon have its own family-medicine residency program - and the hope is that some of the doctors who train here will eventually stay here.
The new program, beginning in 2027, will welcome two family-medicine residents. They’ll train in hospitals, family-medicine clinics and other healthcare settings throughout Oxford County, with more rotations in the community as the program grows.
Dr. Ian Hons is a family physician, chief of staff at Woodstock Hospital, and regional academic director for the Oxford Academy through the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. He calls the new program a major step for Oxford.
For patients, having residents in local hospitals and clinics can also mean a little more time with the doctor during an assessment, as residents are given time to understand a patient's story and health concerns.
The bigger goal is improving access to family medicine.
Dr. Hons says one new family physician can make a substantial difference.
Dr. Hons says he hears from people looking for a family doctor every day.
He says the long-term goal is to train residents here, expose them to Oxford County and hopefully convince many of them to build their careers here. The program will start with two residents, but Hons says he can see it growing to three in the short term.
And he's looking forward to more than the medical training itself. Hons says he's excited to welcome the residents to Oxford and show them what the community has to offer beyond healthcare. He also says teaching is something he personally loves.
The two-year program is another way of keeping medical learners connected to Oxford — and potentially turning those learners into the family doctors the community needs.
