Discovery Week 2024 at STEGH
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 practice in those areas, but that number has been on the steady increase since 2013.
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 practice there.
This was the case locally at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.
First year medical student, Lucy Mason told us why the week is so important to students like herself.
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.
Mason says the students have learned a lot over the last week, but one thing has stood out.
Research has shown that one of the four factors which increases the likelihood of a physician choosing to practice in rural and remote communities is a positive exposure to rural practice in medical school.
Divya Tamilselvan, also a first year med student says once you become a physician you job doesn’t start and end at the hospital you work at.
The students partaking in Discovery week all currently study at Western University, but according to Tamilselvan, medicine in London versus a more rural area like St. Thomas-Elgin is completely different.
This year’s Discovery Week took place both May 27-31 and June 3-7.
The 33 participating communities extend from St. Thomas to Strathroy-Caradoc to Owen Sound.
Written By: K. Milhomens
