Photo courtesy St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital
A dozen first-year medical students are getting a firsthand look at rural healthcare this week in St. Thomas.
As part of Discovery Week, students from Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine are training at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital from June 1st to 4th.
The program places nearly 200 students in communities across Southwestern Ontario, giving them hands-on experience and encouraging future doctors to practise in smaller centres.
“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.”
Dr. Victor Ng, Assistant Dean, Distributed Education, Schulich Medicine & Dentistry added, “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.”
He continued, “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 practise in the communities they trained in.”
Written by Ian McCallum
