According to a new study on the growth of physician numbers, 2018 saw a substantial increase in the medical profession.

The study, released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, outlines that the growth rate of Canadian physicians is outpacing the Canadian population growth rate, and shows the most significant single-year increase since 2011.

Kevin Wasko, physician executive for integrated rural health with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, said that Swift Current had played a role in helping to raise that rate.

"In the province, the number of physicians per capita is also at a highest level. I think locally, in Swift Current, it's probably one of the bright spots in the province right now in terms of success in physician recruitment."

Wasko said that there are a number of factors drawing in physicians.

"The local residency training program lends to being able to recruit new graduates, I think that there is a group of physicians who have settled in that community who are new to practice, and that's appealing for other new-to-practice physicians."

He said that a diversity of medical feilds in the city was also an asset in drawing in physicians.

On average, for every 100,000 Canadians, there are 241 physicians.

Thanks to the physician numbers in Swift Current, the Cypress Regional Hospital has the shortest wait time in the province.

Wasko said that rural areas would continue to be a focus in the province's healthcare.

Another factor that he said attributed to Swift Current's high retention rate, was a connection to the community.

David Boyle, a family doctor in Swift Current, said that he feels accepted since setting up shop in the city.

He came to Swift Current to perform a residency and decided to stick around.

"I really enjoyed the community," he said. "It seemed that everyone was very welcoming, and it had a really big-small town feel, and it seemed that people were pretty easy to get along with, so that was a big part of what drew me to Swift Current honestly."

He said that the accepting nature of the community, as well as fellow healthcare professionals, was a great way to achieve retention.

"It's definitely a critical thing, especially in a more rural practice when you're spread thinly through doing your clinic time, and emergency, and inpatient, and delivering babies, it's really important to have a good group of physicians that you're working with."

He said that he would recommend Swift Current to any new physicians to learn the ropes to a variety of aspects of healthcare.