ESTEVAN - The number of physicians practising in Estevan continues to grow.
Dr. Reza Fatoorechi has been at the Primacy Medical Centre, located in the Clifton’s No Frills building, since Aug. 22. He has enjoyed working in the Energy City.
“It’s a small town, but I really like it because I feel that I can find all of the basic needs that you require, and I think it’s a good city to live in,” said Fatoorechi.
He came with his wife and daughter, who has just started Grade 6 in Estevan and is excited for the start of the school year and eager to meet new friends.
Fatoorechi is originally from Iran and went to medical school in the country. He worked as a general practitioner for a few years, and then he started his residency in orthopedic surgery. He worked as an orthopedic surgeon while continuing to meet with his previous patients.
“Even though I was doing surgery, they didn’t want to lose me, so usually they came to my office,” said Fatoorechi.
When he moved to Canada in 2015, he started work as a surgical assistant in Calgary.
“I’m glad that I can contribute all of those skills here to serve the community of Estevan,” he said.
Fatoorechi is working as a general practitioner in Estevan, but there has been a discussion of expanding his services.
“We are going to have a cast clinic in the hospital, so probably one day a week I can see patients with a previous trauma, doing MSK [muscular skeletal] exams, or seeing orthopedic patients, just to use my skills for the community,” said Fatoorechi.
A cast clinic is a valuable service for those who have suffered some sort of injury that required a cast or a splint.
The Primacy clinic has been a good place to work. There are two tenured physicians in the city in Dr. Edward Tsoi and Dr. Allison Christie, and a number of other doctors.
“At the beginning, you are busy with settling down, doing paper work, setting up your office and … getting to know your colleagues and patients,” he said.
While Fatoorechi and his family enjoyed living in Calgary, he said he likes the slower pace in Estevan and lower traffic volumes.
“There are some other activities that you can enjoy. Every other day, I go to the leisure centre. I like that they have the walking path around the hockey arena, and my daughter goes to the swimming pool.”
The master pathway system that was completed last year has also been great for his family.
“I have two philosophies in my life,” said Fatoorechi. “Always I am trying to make the world surrounding me a better place to live for everybody, including myself, and also every day I try to be a better version of myself. And I think Estevan is a place where I can reach my philosophy and goals.”
His arrival brings the total number of physicians in the city to 15, including 13 family physicians.
