KAMSACK — A Kamsack doctor who has been practicing at the Assiniboine Valley Medical Centre since the end of January is sorry he must be leaving the community before the end of September.
Dr. Nader Fereydonyan is leaving Kamsack after Sept. 23 for “personal, family reasons.”
Speaking to the Times recently, Fereydonyan said that initially he had planned to move to Kamsack with his family, but since then has come to understand that his son has been moved too many times recently and another move would be overwhelming.
“He’s enjoying school,” he said of his son, Nirvana, 13, who is living with his mother Narges, who is also a physician, in Toronto. “He’s about to start Grade 8 at the University of Toronto School, which was a difficult school for one to get into.”
Instead, Fereydonyan has decided to join the south branch of the Gateway Alliance Clinic, which is a 10-doctor clinic in Regina.
Commuting from Regina to Toronto is just one short flight, and much easier for him, his wife and son to make, rather than having to drive the distance to Kamsack at each visit, he said.
He’ll continue working as a general practitioner in Regina where his work will be a more regular eight-to-five job.
Fereydonyan and his family came to Canada in 2019 from Tehran, Iran, and settled in Toronto. While waiting for his Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) accreditation, he had worked in Nipawin and Prince Albert under supervision.
“I’ve really enjoyed working here in Kamsack,” he said, mentioning his colleagues at the clinic as well as at the hospital being like an extended family. “I’ve had no significant conflicts here and had good support of all my colleagues, the physicians, nurses and other staff.
“It’s been a very good experience working with the people of Kamsack,” he said, adding that he understands that such a rural location is not equipped with the resources a larger centre has.
“The people appreciate the work that is done,” he said, citing the most challenging aspect is the lack of equipment and resources, so that it is not always possible to provide the standard of care in the community, and instead have to refer patients to the city hospitals. It’s difficult to provide all the equipment for everybody in such a large country, he said.
“Reaching a specialist immediately is not always possible, so one has to rely on clinical judgment, maybe too much,” he said. “Many people are still willing to work in a rural area but its many challenges, like resources, need to be addressed and managed.
“But, my general experience in Kamsack has been very fulfilling. It was a new environment, but enjoyable and has been a good opportunity for personal growth.
“I’m really grateful to the Kamsack people and all of my colleagues, and am sorry to be leaving.”
Shortly after Dr. Fereydonyan leaves, a second doctor, Dr. Pegah Behzadi, will be joining the other three doctors, Dr. Adebisi Alayo, Dr. Elmira Amirazodi and Dr. Kayode Bamigbola, at the Clinic.
