Journal staff
Bluewater Health is hosting Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry students to begin their learning and training during Discovery Week 2023, marking the 25th anniversary of the partnership.
The medical students’ placement stems from an ongoing partnership with Schulich Medicine, based at Western University in London, Ontario. For the past 25 years, as part of Discovery Week, all first-year medical students participate in immersive, one-week placements in health-care settings across Southwestern Ontario.
“Discovery Week gives medical students an opportunity to learn about practicing medicine in a community setting away from the traditional large city academic environment," said Dr. Michel Haddad, Chief of Staff, Bluewater Health and Western’s Medicine Academic Director for Sarnia-Lambton. "Working alongside local specialists and primary care providers this week helps these future physicians develop an understanding of the type of practice they could have in our community in Sarnia-Lambton."
During this week-long placement at Bluewater Health, the medical students will be exposed to teamwork and collaboration undertaken within a rural/regional site and will have exciting opportunities to discover all that Sarnia-Lambton has to offer.
By immersing medical students in health-care settings and communities in this way, these future physicians can envision themselves living here and caring for Sarnia-Lambton residents down the line.
“After getting a taste of life and medicine in a rural or regional community through opportunities like Discovery Week, many Schulich medical students return to practise upon completion of their training,” said Dr. George Kim, Former Assistant Dean, Distributed Education, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. “We’re so grateful to collaborate with partners like Bluewater Health, who welcome our medical students and give them unparalleled first-hand training experiences in their communities.”
“Working together, we’re creating a cohort of physicians who are ready, willing and able to care for people across Ontario in a variety of settings.”
This week, 14 Schulich students became temporary members of the Sarnia-Lambton community, giving them the opportunity to meet our patients, experience our unique health-care systems and interact with colleagues – getting a fulsome experience of what a day in the life of a local health-care provider would look like.
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University Office of Distributed Education www.schulich.uwo.ca/distributededucation During Discovery Week 2023, more than 170 Schulich Medicine students will be placed in 29 participating communities, from Owen Sound to Windsor-Essex and Woodstock to Lake Huron