Northern Ontario Aboriginal communities prepare to host medical students
Northern Ontario School of Medicine press release - February 13, 2007
Northern Ontario Aboriginal Communities Prepare to Host Medical Students
Today, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine hosts the “Sharing Experiences” workshop. Representatives of the 28 Aboriginal communities which will host first-year medical students are meeting at the School’s West and East campuses.
From April 30 to May 25, 2007, first year NOSM students will spend four weeks on placement in remote and rural Aboriginal communities in Northern Ontario. Workshop participants include the Local Community Coordinators (LCCs) who will provide liaison between NOSM and the students. The LCCs represent the three major treaty organizations, Métis Nation of Ontario and health access centres of Northern Ontario.
The two-day “Sharing Experiences” workshop provides participants with an overview of NOSM and its unique mandate and curriculum. Experiences and lessons learned from last year’s placements will be discussed and applied to the development of weekly student schedules for the 2007 placements. In addition, participants will tour the NOSM facilities and meet the students and many faculty members.
The community placements enable medical students to learn the clinical skills required for the curriculum and examine the roles of health care providers in rural and remote settings. Placements occur in clinical settings such as urgent care, after hours clinics, youth and school programs, substance abuse centres, outpatient settings with RNs, MDs and visiting health care professionals.
Culturally-focused activities are also a large aspect of the community placements. Students will participate in activities such as feasts, hunting and fishing. NOSM Director of Aboriginal Affairs, Orpah McKenzie, says the students will gain an understanding of the relevance of community culture to lifestyle and health. “Immersion in these remote, rural Aboriginal communities broadens students’ cultural awareness and strengthens their communications skills,” she explains. “These are integral skills for effective medical practice in Northern Ontario.”
Throughout their four years of medical school, NOSM students will experience several placements in Northern Ontario communities, and these placements in Aboriginal communities mark the first placement for first-year students. NOSM’s Director of Undergraduate Medical Education Programs, Marie Matte says students receive the widest possible experience through distributed learning. “Community based education ensures that students gain a diversity of clinical knowledge and skills, as well as experience for themselves the special features of Northern Ontario.”
The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is a pioneering faculty of medicine. The School is a joint initiative of Lakehead and Laurentian Universities with main campuses in Thunder Bay and Sudbury, and multiple teaching and research sites across Northern Ontario. By educating skilled physicians and undertaking health research suited to community needs, the School will become a cornerstone of community health care in Northern Ontario.
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For further information, contact:
Tracie Smith
Communications Officer - West
807-766-7314
Tracie.Smith@normed.ca
Yonaniko Grenon
Communications Officer - East
705-662-7243
Yonaniko.Grenon@normed.ca