New Members
Welcome to the Central Okanagan Division! We are excited to have you joining us as a member. On this page you can learn all about Division programs/services, immigration resources, practicing in BC, and more.
Our Division
The Central Okanagan Division of Family Practice includes family physicians from Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, and Peachland.
The Division is a non-profit co-operative governed by local family practice physicians who identify areas to improve care of patients with its members and work with partners towards solutions and results. The organization gives member physicians a stronger voice in improving patient health care in our community and provides opportunities to work with partners such as the Interior Heath Authority, Ministry of Health, FPSC, and other community organizations.
Division Support
The Central Okanagan Division is here to support you. Contact us anytime with any questions, comments or concerns, and our team will help! members@codivision.ca
Division Red Carpet Welcome
We want to make relocating to the Central Okanagan seamless and stress-free, which is why we have our Red Carpet Welcome program. Our staff will help you with everything from finding a realtor, looking at different school options for your children, helping your spouse find a job, and finding the perfect clinic to suit your professional needs.
Program highlights:
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Airport Pickup: We can pick you up when your flight lands and take you to your hotel or accommodations.
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Accommodations: If FP is international we can help you and your family find a place to stay.
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Discovery Meeting: Conducting initial meetings to get to know the new physician and what they are looking for in a clinic.
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Clinic Tours: Introducing new physicians to clinics within the community
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Community Showcase: Set up local activates and showcase the community
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Relocation Support: Once an FP lands we help you with:
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next steps to move here
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make connections to local realtors, car dealers, etc.
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tour rental homes if needed and do virtual walk-throughs
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help make local connections for your spouse to make finding a job easier
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help you navigate the local school district to get your kids on the list
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etc
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Mentorship Support: Connect with local mentors and other FP's who have recently moved from the same province or country.
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Community Integration: Make family connections between FP's that have kids of similar ages and interest.
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After Hours Support: Responding to inquiries "after" hours (24/7 support)
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Above and Beyond: Anything the FP needs to help them with the relocation to support to the individual and/or their family.
Contact Us
Contact our team with any questions you have, and we can coordinate welcoming you to our community: members@codivision.ca
Getting Setup
Once you submit your application to join our Division, our staff will reach out to you. In our welcome email we will include the steps to get set up. Some of the things we will get you setup with are:
Divisions BC website, members-only side:
divisionsbc.ca/central-okanagan
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Our Division team will send you your username and password. The Divisions BC website is your access point to UpToDate.
Central Okanagan Division Website, members-only side:
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Create an account by going to this page of our website. Our team will approve your account, and you will have full access to the members-only side.
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The members-only side contains information for members including: Division recruitment services, division programs, upcoming events, board and staff contact information, etc. It also has a ‘members forum’ where members can post/respond to questions, have discussions, and develop community connections.
UpToDate account:
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UpToDate is an award-winning online clinical decision support resource, available to Divisions of Family Practice members for use in individual practices at no cost to the individual physician.
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If you have any trouble logging in or have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Log into your Divisions BC account and use the UpToDate portal button at the top of the web page to access UpToDate. Please be sure to use it on your desktop or your phone but login via your desktop at least once every 90 days to confirm your affiliation with Division so that your account stays active.
Divisional Digest Monthly Division newsletter:
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Content: CME reminders, Updates, Division Services/Programs, Clinical information
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Format: A monthly, brief, e-newsletter with short summary information. Each content item has a “read more” button which will direct members to the full article on our Newsletter Archive Website: divisionarchive.com
Pathways BC:
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Pathways is an online resource that provides physicians and their office staff quick access to current and accurate referral information, including wait times and areas of expertise for specialists and specialty clinics.
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Pathways also provides access to hundreds of patient and physician resources, a searchable community service directory and a medical care directory.
For Pathways access please email: codfp@pathwaysbc.ca
Practicing in B.C Resources
Practice in BC Toolkit
The Practice in BC interactive guide outlines the key steps to be eligible to practice as a general practitioner (GP) in British Columbia, Canada. If you are an undergraduate student, medical student, a Canadian medical graduate, an international medical graduate, or a Canadian studying abroad Practice in BC is your guide.
Transition Into Practice Guide
Entering professional practice is an exciting time. For family medicine residents and those who teach, June is a time of transition. BC Family Doctors has developed a guide for residents and new-to-practice physicians that provides practical information about making this transition, including an overview of financial, legal and administrative matters.
Contract Options: Alternatives to Fee-For-Service Model
The BC Ministry of Health has introduced a number of new contract options for BC’s physicians. They provide more choices for established and new-to-practice family physicians who want to move away from Fee-for-Service (FFS) and practice in a different way.
More information from the B.C. government regarding contract options can be found here.
Welcome BC: Newcomers Guide
Moving to a new country can be hard. You might have a lot of questions. The B.C. Newcomers’ Guide will help you settle into B.C. quickly and easily.
NewToBC
NewToBC is all about making connections. It is a library settlement initiative that connects newcomer immigrants and refugees with essential settlement information, public libraries, other service provider organizations, and, ultimately, BC communities.
Canadian Immigration and citizenship
If you are new to Canada the Immigration and citizenship website from the Government of Canada will help you apply for citizenship, a permanent resident card, or work visa.