A new doctor will be starting her family practice in Woodstock later this month.
Dr. Sarah Davies, who completed her doctor of medicine and post-graduate family medicine training at London’s Western University, will be hanging her shingle as of Sept. 19. Davies has a broad range of interests in medicine and hopes to work with medical students and residents, a media release said.
“We’re so pleased to welcome Dr. Davies back to the community,” said Kristy Hons, the city’s physician recruiter, in the release. “Dr. Davies had the privilege of meeting and training under many local Woodstock physicians during her studies at Western, and we’re so fortunate that she’s decided to establish her practice here.”
Based on calculations from the Health Analytics Branch and Health Force Ontario based on March 2020 data, it’s estimated that Woodstock needs at least six new family doctors to meet the growing local demand. When factoring in the need across all of Oxford County, the number of new doctors required to meet that demand actually approves twelve.
Since the projected population growth of both the city and the county are expected to climb in the coming years, recruiting more doctors remains a high priority for officials. Staff has been actively working to attract more doctors to the community since that was identified as a priority in Woodstock’s 2012 strategic plan.
“Woodstock is an easy place to love,” Hons said. We’ve seen physicians return to Woodstock to set up their practices after completing their residency here.
“It’s always exciting to visit the different medical schools and invite them to come visit our community so I can show them the opportunities that exist here.
Davies said in the release she’s thrilled to be joining the Woodstock community to provide primary care. She will be opening her practice at 645 Finkle St., Suite 1200, in Woodstock. Residents who do not have a family doctor can complete a patient application on her website at www.daviesfamilymed.com. Residents are asked not to call or visit the clinic without a scheduled appointment.