Nichelle Desilets grew up in small-town Manitoba and realized at a young age she wanted to pursue a healthcare career.
She went to medical school at the University of Calgary, completed a residency in rural family medicine in Prince Albert, and a clinic clerkship in Yellowknife. Now 39, Desilets has spent the last 10 years in Neepawa. She sees her patients at the Beautiful Plains Medical Clinic. She takes shifts at the Neepawa Health Centre and its emergency department, delivering babies and performing surgeries.
As a part of her duties, Nichelle is taking on a new role. She's the new president of Doctors Manitoba. Doctors Manitoba represents more than 4,000 physicians and qualified medical students in the province. It advocates for doctors.
"It's a real honour to be chosen to represent your colleagues and profession," said Desilets. "To work towards the goal that all doctors in Manitoba want, to have the resources, time, and space to provide excellent healthcare to all Manitobans."
Desilets joined the Doctors Manitoba board in 2020. Her reason for joining the board? Simple, flaws in the health care system.
"It seems like we're constantly pivoting to a new concern. I feel that I am a pretty solution-focused person," added Desilets. "It didn't sit well with me to be working on the front lines and experiencing the challenges and barriers for both my job and the ones my patients face as they try to navigate the system."
Manitoba has the lowest per capita rate of family physicians in the country. Manitoba did gain 133 doctors from May 2023 to April 2024. On a positive note, that did surpass the previous high of 83 in 2014. On the other side of the coin, Manitoba is still short 346 doctors.
In a recent conversation with Mandee Nakonechny, president of the Parkland Community Nurses Local 1022, she said front-line nurses and doctors have seen very little change in how health care is moving from the previous government to the current one. Staffing shortages are a major issue, something that has certainly been a burden on rural communities.
Nakonechny wanted Manitobans to know that things are not okay in the health system.
Desilets understands the issues of staffing shortages and how that can impact the health care system on a day-to-day basis. She says in her new role, positive change is the goal.
"Doctors do want to do the work. To have long-term longevity for doctors, which is what will best serve communities, is to acknowledge the staffing shortages," continued Desilets. "It's important to acknowledge the number of hours that health care providers are working and to find solutions to make it more sustainable."
Staffing shortages are just one issue facing health care professionals.
"Certainly the number one concern that I hear from rural doctors is difficulty in accessing the services that their patients need," ended Desilets. "Whether it's a non-urgent or urgent. Often times, the common denominator is geography and transportation."
Under her new role, Desilets plans to use her platform to inflict long-term positive change for health care professionals and their patients. She understands that many changes can't be made overnight, but she is committed and driven to better the system.
