Published On: June 1, 2026
Twelve first-year medical students from the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University will begin their learning and training with St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH) as part of the 28th annual Discovery Week.
From June 1-4, Schulich Medicine physicians-in-training will be welcomed as temporary members of the St. Thomas and Elgin community. During their immersive, one-week placement at STEGH, the medical students will familiarize themselves with teamwork and collaboration in the local health-care setting and will have exciting opportunities to discover all the community has to offer.
Discovery Week is a long-standing program that gives all first-year medical students the opportunity to experience what life and health care look like in regional and rural communities across Southwestern Ontario.
“Programs like Discovery Week play an important role in shaping the future of health care in communities like ours,” said Dr. Erica Van Daalen, Chief of Staff, St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital. “By providing meaningful, hands-on experiences in St. Thomas and Elgin County, we help students envision a future where they can build rewarding careers while meeting the unique needs of the patients and families we serve.”
During Discovery Week 2026, 190 Schulich Medicine students will be placed in more than 30 participating communities, from Windsor to Owen Sound.
“Our community partners play a vital role in our students’ medical education by providing exceptional, first-hand, in-patient care experiences in rural and regional settings,” said Dr. Victor Ng, Assistant Dean, Distributed Education, Schulich Medicine & Dentistry.
“We are incredibly grateful for this long-standing partnership which prepares and inspires a cohort of physicians to practise in small and mid-sized communities across the province. Through this collaboration, Schulich medical students will develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for rural-regional medicine and health-care providers. Many also return to practice in the communities they trained in.”