The President of the Nova Scotia Doctors and Surgeons Union, Dr. Ghas Grant, said that a new orientation program for foreign doctors will help facilitate their transition to practicing medicine in this Atlantic Canadian province.

Grant added that there are about 20 doctors, mostly from Nigeria and the United Kingdom, participating this week in a new program called "Collaborative Welcome".

Grant also mentioned that the idea came to him after meeting with a group of Nigerian doctors who were trying to practice their profession in Cape Breton in eastern Nova Scotia.

With funding of 1.3 million dollars from the Nova Scotia government, Grant and the union invited other groups such as "Doctors of Nova Scotia", the "Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia", and the "Black Physicians Association of Nova Scotia" to participate in the welcome program.

Grant also said that the program helps foreign doctors to get local recognition for their qualifications and also with the more routine aspects related to their settlement in their new home.

Grant stated that it is impossible to address these issues immediately, during a three-day orientation session.

The designers of this orientation program hope to welcome 140 doctors who studied and qualified outside Canada, and help them settle in Nova Scotia over the next three years.

In addition to the initial orientation, which takes place at the union offices in Bedford in Greater Halifax, new doctors will be connected with mentors.

Grant also sees that potential barriers to success are not professional, as the new doctors are "well trained to practice good quality medicine".