A clinic in central Newfoundland is bucking the trend of doctors moving away from rural areas to practice in urban centres.

The Killick Health Clinic in Grand Falls-Windsor has grown from seven to 19 doctors in the last two years. Physicians have been lured to the clinic by its growing team of family doctors, specialists and nurses, as well as the chance to conduct medical research, something usually offered only at big city hospitals.

Dr. Jared Butler, who is originally from central Newfoundland, was pleased to return home to work at the clinic.

"I can't imagine practicing in another place," Butler said.

"This community is going to be at the forefront of a lot of things, especially in the medical field."

The Killick Health Clinic is already accepting new patients, an unusual sight in the central region due to an acute shortage of doctors in recent years.

While the clinic has been successful in attracting physicians, the emphasis will now shift to retaining them.

A new article published in the Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine found one in seven physicians practicing in a rural community planned to leave within the next two years.

"A wide array of incentives are being used to attract physicians to rural areas," said Dr. Anne Doig, president of the Canadian Medical Association.

"More consideration needs to be paid to the factors that will encourage them to remain there."

The Society of Rural Physicians has called for several changes to stem the flow of doctors from rural centres to urban areas, including accepting more students from rural areas into medical school and allowing doctors to provide care that uses all of their skills.

It also said further training programs are needed in specialized areas like surgery, maternity care, anesthesia and more.

For Dr. Steven Combden, who left St. John's to work at the Killick Health Clinic, there is already plenty of incentive in place.

"Great clinic, great friends, great colleagues," Combden said. "That's more than enough reason."