Dr. Agatha Agwaze, the community’s second general practitioner with the same family name, started her practice as a physician at Stettler Medical Clinic on Dec. 6, almost two years after her husband Martins began accepting patients in early 2009 after arriving from South Africa.
“We want to stay in Stettler for as long as possible and contribute to the community,” said Dr. Agwaze, a family physician and general practitioner with over 16 years’ experience.
She started her practice in Stettler after she completed accreditation with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta.
“It takes time to get all the paperwork done,” said Dr. Agwaze.
Agatha Agwaze and her husband were both quickly attracted to the Stettler area when they were first invited by the local physician recruitment committee under Stettler Regional Board of Trade and Community Development in partnership with the Town of Stettler and the County of Stettler.
“Stettler physician recruitment committee did a great job to recruit us, we had other options,” said Dr. Agwaze.
“It was divinely determined for us to come to Canada.”
“I have always wanted to work here when I arrived with my family and now I am happy to be able to work.”
Shortly after moving here, she had a desire to serve the community.
“This is a job I’ve always wanted,” said Dr. Agwaze.
“I have very good working relationships with staff at the clinic and the hospital with quality care and facilities.”
“They are all wonderful people here.”
Since the Agwazes arrived in Stettler with their children Emmanuel (12 years old), Ruth (9) and David (7), they have comfortably assimilated into the community and Canadian lifestyle and quickly made Stettler their home.
“We realized that Canada is one of the best countries to live in, and one of the safest countries in the world,” said Dr. Agwaze.
Back in South Africa, they both practiced medicine and lived in a community of about 100,000.
Stettler residents graciously and warmly opened their arms to the foreign family.
“Residents are so welcoming and friendly and the community is conducive to family life,” she said.
While the Agwazes have found a home church, the children are active in the local skating club and husband referees soccer during the summer.
As both she and her husband work as physicians in a busy field, they still find time for a healthy balance of work and family and life.
“We plan and schedule our time,” said Dr. Agwaze.
“We need to give time to work and time for our children.”
Dr. Agwaze is among a large and growing number of female physicians worldwide.
She believes that women naturally tend to be more focused than men which is vital in a career such as the medical field and physicians.
“You need to know what you’re doing to be focused,” said Dr. Agwaze.
With the addition of Agatha Agwaze, currently six full-time physicians serve the region.
Two more physicians are expected to arrive in the spring and start in July, said Town of Stettler Councillor Leona Thorogood, who represents the town on Stettler Regional Board of Trade and Economic Development, which leads physician recruitment.
“Ideally, we would like to have 12 to 14 doctors but we’re still well short of that,” said Councillor Thorogood.