Home / Health / US Surgeon Leaves Nova Scotia Due to Limited Practice
US Surgeon Leaves Nova Scotia Due to Limited Practice
1 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Podiatrist left Nova Scotia citing inability to treat patients fully.
- Restrictions prevented him from performing minimally invasive surgeries.
- Long wait times persist for common foot conditions in Nova Scotia.
A U.S.-trained surgical podiatrist has decided to leave Nova Scotia, citing his inability to fully treat patients due to regulatory limitations. Dr. Ronald Barron expressed frustration with the Nova Scotia College of Physicians and Surgeons and the provincial health department for not permitting him to perform certain minimally invasive surgeries in his clinic.
Barron, who moved to Dartmouth in early 2024, found it difficult to accept the long wait times for common procedures like bunion or hammer toe repair, which he was trained to treat efficiently. Despite explaining his U.S. training, which included such surgeries, he received no response from the college or government regarding an expansion of his services, leading him to feel he was unable to provide adequate care.
Officials from the College of Physicians and Surgeons stated that accommodating one practitioner requires complex system-wide changes, not just individual exceptions. The Department of Health and Wellness expressed disappointment in Barron's departure and noted ongoing efforts to explore expansions to podiatry practice. Nevertheless, Barron is now seeking opportunities back in the United States.
