by PAUL RAYNER

It may have taken 16 months, but Boissevain’s second doctor is in place and is set to begin her practice on Monday, June 8.

Dr. Adriana Pirvu is in town, getting oriented in the Boissevain Health Centre. She will be replacing Dr. Kathy Rahnavardi, who left in April 2008. It has been a long and difficult process according to Mayor Ed Anderson.

“It’s been a 16 month process,” Anderson said. “There were a lot of things that needed to be done, and nothing could happen until now.”

Pirvu is from Romania, so she had to go through many hoops to be able to practice in Manitoba. As Anderson explained, she wrote her exams in the third week of January. After successful completion, she went into a 90-day assessment process, which she was able to do in the hospital in Brandon, which was fortunate as she and her family currently live in the Wheat City. That assessment was completed in April, and then she moved on to meet with the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Winnipeg to complete the certification process.

“We’ve been talking weekly at least the whole time.”

Dr. Pirvu is from the Romanian capital city of Bucharest, where she also studied medicine. She is quite experienced, having practiced medicine for ten years in her native country. During this period she also had a wide range of experience, including emergency, family medicine and focus in ear, nose and throat medicine. She came to Canada three years ago, spending the last two in Brandon, because her husband moved here to work as a computer engineer.

“I got to move here mainly for family reasons,” she explained.

Interestingly, Pirvu said she first found out about a vacancy in Boissevain through Dr. Rahnavardi, who told her she was leaving. She was soon in contact with the mayor.

“Ed was very involved with the process to get my certification to work in Manitoba. He helped me a lot with the long and tough process.”

Pirvu will have a mentor to work with her for a short period of time. As she explained, the doctor will supervise and assist in the day to day activities and the adjustments she must go through. Anderson gave Michelle Clark, executive director medical services/primary care for the Assiniboine RHA, much of the credit for setting up the mentoring.

The new doctor said she chose Boissevain and looks forward to working here.

“I’ve been here, and I like the community and I like the people,” Pirvu said. “I have met Dr. Nell and I have been here a few times. I had a lot of support from the community and Dr. Nell which I appreciate.”

Anderson said the new doctor should take some strain off of Nell, who has been working steady, with some assistance from locums, since Rahnavardi’s departure.

“When she gets started here,” the mayor stated, “Dr. Nell can take some much needed time off.”

Pirvu will be commuting from Brandon for the month of June except for the periods she is on call, so that the older of her two daughters can finish the school year. Some time in the summer, the family plans to move to Boissevain.

“I plan to be here for the long term,” Pirvu stated. “I’m not sure exactly how long, but this is the plan. My family is very supportive. My two daughters are very keen to move here.”

Having someone who wants to come to Boissevain is very important, according to Anderson.

“That’s the absolute key,” he said. “Adriana really wanted to be here. When you are recruiting physicians, recruiting nurses, any level, it is absolutely imperative they want to be here. Then they stay.”

“We’re really happy to be able to attract Dr. Pirvu. I think she will work really well here.”