A new medical clinic opened its doors this week on Portland Street.
The Penhorn Medical Clinic is owned by Mayelin Figueroa, who is relocating her practice to the new clinic and is currently accepting new patients.
“I’m very excited. This is like a dream come true for me,” said the family doctor.
Figueroa graduated from medical school in Cuba and worked as a family physician there for five years before coming to Canada in 2000. She and her family moved to Nova Scotia in 2004, where she practiced in Musquodoboit Harbour for two and a half years, followed by a few years at Tacoma Family Medicine.
She says opening her own clinic has always been her dream, but it has been a lot of work along the way.
“It’s hard when you’re an immigrant,” she said. “Coming from Cuba, where you have nothing, and it’s a struggle, and you work hard and they don’t pay you almost anything, and then you come to Canada, which is a wonderful country. But it takes awhile for everything to fall in place, and finally, I have my own clinic.”
It took her about five years to write all the Canadian medical boards and get her license to practice in Canada.
Figueroa said getting everything ready for her opening has been a lot of fun. She enjoyed choosing things like the office colours and signage, and says it turned out to be exactly what she wanted.
“This clinic is beautiful and I’m very happy with it.”
She said she loves Dartmouth and wants her clients to know she’s planning to retire here.
“This is the perfect place for me, because this reminds me of Cuba. You guys have the ocean, and the people are so friendly ... I love Nova Scotia. A lot of my colleagues have moved to bigger cities, but now that I have my own clinic, that’s it,” she said with a laugh. “And hopefully one of my daughters will be a doctor in the future and someday take over.”
Figueroa’s husband, Noelvis Rochela, who formerly owned Cubano’s Mini Market on Thistle Street, will be the clinic’s manager.
Figueroa is starting the practice solo, but hopes to add at least two more doctors at some point in the future.
The Penhorn Medical Clinic, which is located next to the Penhorn Dental Clinic, accepts walk-in patients, and is currently booking appointments for later this month.
“There were a lot of people on a waiting list, waiting for us to open. It’s wonderful,” she said.
For information, call 469-2579.
lmckay@hfxnews.ca
