Published On: May 23, 2019
Six million Canadians live in rural and remote communities, making up almost 20 per cent of the population. The Canadian Institute for Health Information reports that less than ten per cent of physicians practise in those areas, but that number has been on the steady increase since 2013.
Research has shown that one of the four factors which increases the likelihood of a physician choosing to practise in rural and remote communities is a positive exposure to rural practise in medical school. At Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Discovery Week is one opportunity for medical students to work alongside health care practitioners and physicians in rural and remote areas to better understand what it means to practise there.
This unique learning opportunity provides medical students with the chance to be embedded into the health care environment in communities across the region for a week, providing a first- hand look at the diverse experiences which impact health and wellness.
This year’s Discovery Week takes place during the week of May 27-31. The 33 participating communities extend from St. Thomas to Owen Sound. Next week, 10 first year medical students from Schulich Medicine & Dentistry will shadow physicians and visit patients at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.
“Discovery Week allows our students to understand the opportunities and challenges of rural and regional medicine,” said Dr. George Kim, assistant dean, Rural and Regional Community Engagement at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. “We are so pleased to be able to work in collaboration with our partners across the region to provide future physicians with this important learning opportunity.”
To arrange interviews with Dr. Kim, please contact Luiza Moczarski. For information on Discovery Week at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, please contact Kimberly Boughner.