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New medical clinic, but without new doctors, coming to Cambridge

The new clinic will be at the Delta intersection, but won’t add to the roster of doctors serving the city, still considered in high need for family physicians
512 Coronation Boulevard
A new medical clinic and pharmacy is coming to 512 Coronation Boulevard this fall.

A new medical clinic and pharmacy is coming to the Delta intersection in Cambridge, but it won’t add to the roster of doctors serving the city, which is still considered in high need for family physicians.

The building, on the west side of the Delta, at the intersection of Coronation Boulevard, Water Street and Waterside Avenue, is currently home to Prestige Auto Sales and Pro Drivers. 

It was recently purchased by Dr. Ezzat Beshay and Dr. Maria Eskander, two Cambridge family physicians who will be moving their practices once the building is renovated.

Beshay said they hope to complete the move in October or November at the latest.

Prestige Auto Sales will remain at the location and the main entrance for the clinic will be from Water Street.

The new clinic will be called the Shepherd Medical Centre. A pharmacy will be located on the main floor of the building, fronting Water Street, and the doctors offices will be on the second floor. An elevator is being installed to provide better accessibility for patients, said Beshay.

Beshay will be moving his practice from the clinic he shares with Dr. Mark Brown at 246 Dundas St., and Eskander will be moving from the George Street clinic she shares with two other doctors.

Together they currently serve about 3,600 patients but hope to be able to accept more once the new clinic is open. 

“We’re planning to expand in the future but there is nothing confirmed,” Beshay said. “Every day we get calls to accept new patients.”

The basement floor is being renovated for leased office space with the hope two more doctors could come on board down the road.

Donna Gravelle, recruitment coordinator for Doctors 4 Cambridge, the committee responsible for the physician recruitment efforts in Cambridge and North Dumfries, said the need for more doctors in the city remains high.  

“I’m still looking for physicians. We’re still considered high needs in Cambridge," she said.

Doctors 4 Cambridge has been operating for over 20 years and is part of a national organization of physician recruitment teams that have permanent role in trying to attract doctors.

"There’s always a need for new physicians, especially in a growing community like Cambridge," Gravelle said.

With more people working from home, Cambridge has welcomed an influx of new residents who are looking for family physicians, she said.

Information about where to find a physician is available through the Doctors 4 Cambridge website or by contacting the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce directly.

Fortunately, the job has gotten easier over the last few years, said Gravelle, who helps with Cambridge Memorial Hospital's recruitment efforts as well. Cambridge has become more attractive for doctors seeking a community to set up practice, she said.

"I think we have a lot of attributes here. Cambridge kind of sells itself that way."

But the job is never done. Gravelle said she is currently looking to replace four family doctors and clinics are always looking for doctors to add to their rosters.

“We always have doctors that are moving on to different communities, retiring or changing the scope of their practice.”

The impact of doctors changing their scope of practice has become acute over the last year, Gravelle said, due to what she believes may be factors exacerbated by the pandemic.

“I don’t know where all the graduating doctors are going. There’s less of a pool of doctors out there to recruit from so it’s making it a bit challenging at this point.”

She suspects the shortage of recent grads might be due to new doctors deciding to continue training in another field.

Pandemic stress has also taken its toll with many doctors working double duty, working at assessment centres and vaccination centres.

"It definitely has caused doctors to rethink their practices and how they’re going to go forward in their profession," Gravelle said.


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Doug Coxson

About the Author: Doug Coxson

Doug has been a reporter and editor for more than 25 years, working mainly in Waterloo region and Guelph.
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