City Council supports future doctors to strengthen healthcare in southern Alberta
City Council is marking Alberta Rural Health Week by ensuring a warm welcome for the inaugural class of students in the Southern Alberta Medical Program (SAMP) at the University of Lethbridge. The City will host a community recognition event to welcome the students and acknowledge the collective effort behind this milestone, reinforcing Lethbridge’s role as a regional hub for medical education and physician recruitment.
“This is an important moment for our city and our region,” said Mayor Hyggen. “We want to welcome these students and recognize the outstanding effort of local physicians and community members who helped build this program. Many of these doctors have been doing this work on top of their regular clinical work to care for the residents of this community.”
The Southern Alberta Medical Program is an innovative partnership between the University of Lethbridge and the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine, established with funding from the Government of Alberta. It is one of two Rural Medical Education Program training centres in Alberta and will allow students to earn a University of Calgary medical degree while completing their education in Lethbridge and rural communities across southern Alberta.
Students in the program will train alongside other healthcare professionals, gaining hands-on experience in community and rural settings. The program is designed to enrol learners who are more likely to practise in rural and regional communities after graduation. A proven approach to improving physician availability over the long term.
“By creating a welcoming environment and building strong connections to the community from day one, City Council has set these future doctors, and our region, up for long-term success,” said Hyggen. “We’re investing in the future of healthcare in southern Alberta and in the strength of Lethbridge.”
Several physicians who live and work in southern Alberta have taken on leadership roles guiding the development of SAMP, bringing deep regional knowledge and lived experience to the program. Their leadership reflects the program’s core philosophy, that physicians trained in rural and regional communities are more likely to stay and serve those communities.
“These physicians understand what it means to practise medicine in southern Alberta,” said Dr. Richard Buck, Associate Dean of the Southern Alberta Medical Program. “Their commitment to teaching and mentorship, alongside their clinical work, is what makes this program possible.”
Administration has been directed to work with post-secondary institutions, healthcare partners and community stakeholders to coordinate the welcome and recognition activities in a fiscally responsible manner, in accordance with City policies and procurement practices.
The approved Official Business Motion allocates up to $10,000 from Council Contingency funds. The funds will support a formal welcome and community recognition initiative for the program’s first cohort of students, who will begin their studies in Lethbridge in July 2026.
This commitment from City Council aligns with their Strategic Plan, which prioritizes purposeful partnerships, economic resilience and community wellbeing. Attracting and retaining healthcare professionals supports multiple strategic goals, including building a healthy and diverse city and strengthening Lethbridge’s role as a regional service and education centre.
City Council looks forward to welcoming the first SAMP students to Lethbridge and supporting them as they learn and build connections in the community. Their presence marks an important step toward strengthening healthcare access for residents in Lethbridge and across southern Alberta.