Moving home was just what this doctor ordered

It was at Charlottetown Rural High School’s career day in grade 10 that Craig Malone decided to not only be a doctor, but to be a doctor at home on Prince Edward Island.

“At the time, I was not the greatest student,” the Hampshire native laughs, “but I had this unrelenting dream of practicing medicine on the Island.”

After earning his undergrad degree at UPEI in 2007, Malone moved to Newfoundland to study for his medical degree at Memorial University. Craig and his wife Jayne (a nurse), had their first child, Ella, in 2014 and traveled back and forth between PEI and Newfoundland while he completed rotations for medical school.

Now, the couple and their children are home on PEI for good; Dr. Malone has been hired as Souris’ much-anticipated new doctor.

“We came back to PEI as soon as we could,” Craig said. “While we spent almost a decade in Newfoundland, we always wanted to move back and raise our kids here because this is home.”

The family chose Souris for several reasons. They were highly influenced by their environment at Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine, which focused on training primary care providers for rural areas. Through that experience, they came to believe they could have a good life practicing in a rural community.

“In Souris, we saw a community that was full of grit and spirit who were trying to keep themselves healthy and their community alive,” he said.

During an April 2017 tour of the town, they saw first-hand the beautiful hospital and waterfront manor, along with the highly regarded daycare on the hospital grounds and a new kindergarten to grade 12 school only a few blocks away. They also saw a motivated group of staff who were more than eager to help them settle in.

“That’s when Jayne and I knew it was the perfect fit for us.”

If you are you considering a health career in Prince Edward Island, check out the opportunities.