The head of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Podiatric Medicine is calling on the newly formed provincial government to create a regulated college for its members.
Currently, there are only 11 podiatrists in Newfoundland and Labrador, all of whom are in the metro region.
Dr. Kathryn O’Rielly says that many doctors are completing their schooling in Ontario and not returning home because they cannot practice to their full scope.
She says Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province that does not have its own college.
“We are very under-serviced. Most places would have one podiatrist per 10,000 people and right now we have 11 members here in our province practicing,” she told VOCM News.
“However, because of the decrease in the scope and practice here, it does not draw any desire for people to leave other provinces such as Ontario, where the podiatry program is too, for people to leave and come and work in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
