Uxbridge hospital has two new doctors in training

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Late last year, the Uxbridge Hospital announced the start of a teaching program to bring new family medicine residents to the community. The first two residents have arrived.

Dr. Jonathan Lai and Dr. Melanie Ng Tung Hing will start the training set up by the Uxbridge Family Medicine Teaching Unit (UFMTU), Oak Valley Heath and the University of Toronto's department of family and community medicine. The two will complete their two-year training at both the Uxbridge Hospital and at Markham Stouffville Hospital, although they will be based in Uxbridge where they will set their own clinic hours and provide primary care.

"Our goal is to inspire these future family doctors to stay and build their careers here," said Dr. Aisha Husain, director of the UFMTU.

Dr. Melanie Ng Tung Hing and Dr. Jonathan Lai are the first two doctors to join the Uxbridge Family Medicine Teaching Unit at Oak Valley Health. Both are part of the University of Toronto’s Family Medicine Residency Program. Submitted photo

“We are thrilled to officially launch this program with our first cohort of family medicine residents in Uxbridge," said Lisa Harper, senior director of Academics, Research, and Medical Affairs at Oak Valley Health.

She said that training physicians locally brings immediate benefits and helps secure a sustainable future for family medicine by growing the next generation of physicians committed to community-based care.

During their two years, doctors Lai and Ng Tung Hing will spend time in Uxbridge Hospital's emergency department and ward while receiving training in surgery, geriatrics, paediatrics and other areas at Markham Stouffville Hospital.

Lai, a graduate of McMaster University, said he looks forward to establishing a family medicine home base in Uxbridge.

“The Markham and Uxbridge sites offer a diverse patient population, outstanding faculty support, and meaningful opportunities to engage with the communities I have deep connections with — all of which align perfectly with my goals,” he said.

Ng Tung Hing, who completed her medical degree at University College in Dublin, Ireland, is also excited to serving Uxbridge.

“I’m especially looking forward to getting to know my patients and being part of their stories over time, because that’s what I love most about family medicine,” she said. “I feel extremely fortunate to be joining such a supportive faculty and learning in a community that feels welcoming and close-knit.”