News Release

FREDERICTON (CNB) – Tenders have been awarded and renovations have begun at the Moncton Hospital and Miramichi Regional Hospital to accommodate clinical training as part of the new Dalhousie Medical Education Program – New Brunswick.

"Adapting and modernizing these facilities to meet the need of the Dalhousie Medical Education Program – New Brunswick will enable medical students to benefit from a positive learning environment," said Health Minister Mary Schryer. "We hope that many of the students become full-time physicians practising in New Brunswick after their studies are completed."

At the Moncton Hospital, clinical teaching spaces will be accommodated in the former administration wing. The Miramichi Regional Hospital will undergo interior renovations and a former inpatient wing will be reorganized. Both hospitals will receive two new videoconferencing rooms; new study and research spaces; and new student facilities, including sleeping quarters, washrooms and locker rooms.

The contract for the Moncton Hospital was awarded to Avondale Construction Ltd., while work at the Miramichi Regional Hospital will be carried out by King Construction Ltd. The work is part of the provincial government's $3.4-million investment in the clinical teaching spaces for the program. Both projects are scheduled to be completed before January 2011.

"Awarding of the tenders and commencement of construction in the Moncton Hospital and Miramichi Regional Hospital are the visible evidence of the successful effort by a great deal of people who have worked for many months as part of the government, university and hospital partnership that formed Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick,” said Dr. John Steeves, associate dean with the Dalhousie program.

“Distributing the undergraduate medical program to four regions in New Brunswick in Horizon Health facilities is clearly on schedule for implementing the third and fourth years of our new program, in those facilities, by 2012,” he added. “These facilities will help to ensure that students trained in this province will achieve their full potential.”

The tender for the clinical teaching spaces at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton is closing Thursday, Aug. 26. Renovations at the Saint John Regional Hospital were completed this spring.
 
"We are pleased to see government investments at work to establish improved facilities for medical education in New Brunswick," said Supply and Services Minister Ed Doherty. "We look forwarded to seeing construction unfold on these new state-of-the art learning spaces."