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Two years ago, Dr. Andrew Jackson could thumb through his mail on any given day and find an offer to practise somewhere else.

"It was very much a doctors’ market," he said.

"With a shortage, communities everywhere were desperate to find physicians and as a doctor you had your pick of where you wanted to go."

Jackson decided to make the switch from Pincher Creek to Didsbury to set up Silverfern Medical Clinic, after being wooed by town officials and the community itself.

"I liked the rural atmosphere … it’s somewhere I wanted to raise my family and the town was really encouraging," he said.

"There was fanfare that showed me that the community really wanted and appreciated me going there."

In 2006, Didsbury was on the brink of a doctor shortage crisis.

The town, which boasted 4,500 people and a hospital, had two local doctors and one of them said he was burning out. He wanted support staff to help him in his new clinic, but efforts to recruit physicians were a flop.

"We had a lot of competition. Communities were offering doctors homes, cars and money to set up a practice," said Colleen Gustavson, coordinator of economic development.

"We needed to come up with something of our own … that wouldn’t put a lot of pressure on our taxpayers."

Town officials came up with the idea to sell the community to doctors and their families as a place to live, work and play.

Prospective doctors, like Andrew Jackson, would be wooed with an all-expenses paid weekend to explore the community, golf and dine with the mayor.

They’d also get a community welcome and an offer for a $50,000 interest free loan. Ten thousand would be written off if the doctor stayed in town for a minimum of four years.

Jackson was sold on the community. It was the right balance for his family, he said.

" … And the interest free loan took the bite out of setting up a practice."

Three other physicians have also come to Didsbury, allowing the town to call their recruitment program a success. They recently nominated themselves for Alberta Rural Physician’s recruitment and retention award.

Clem Kuelker, chair of the Rosebud Health Foundation is supporting the town’s bid for recognition, which could be given this May at the annual Alberta Chamber of Commerce Meeting.

"I certainly believe the amount of work Didsbury did to recruit doctors paid off," he said.

"Five or six years ago, we were very short on doctors and there seemed to be no real easy answer to recruit doctors here. Now, look, we have about six doctors and we continue to build on that strength."