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Addressing the Gaps

Left: Eric Grimm wears a sun hat at a canoe portage. His canoe pack is behind him, with a lake in the background. Right: Dr. Tiana Bressan stands at a lookout. She is holding a camera. Rolling hills with fall colours are in the background. À gauche : Eric Grimm porte un chapeau de soleil à un portage de canoë. Son attirail de canoë est derrière lui avec un lac en arrière-plan. À droite : La Dre Tiana Bressan tient un appareil photo sur un belvédère devant des collines aux couleurs de l’automne.

Medical Learners Choose to Stay in the North, Thanks to Rural Pathway

NOSM University’s Rural Generalist Pathway was designed to shore up Northern Ontario’s physician workforce. Now in its fifth year, the initiative supports doctors as they train for rural practice.  Both Eric Grimm, a third-year MD student, and Dr. Tiana Bressan, a first-year medical resident, were influenced to choose NOSM University because the pathway would support and prepare them for careers as rural generalists.   “My interest in rural practice absolutely influenced my decision to choose NOSM University,” says Dr. Bressan. “NOSM University was one of the only schools where I could spend a significant portion of my...

Read more about the Pathway
A compilation of photos of the three physicians. Dr. Alexa Lesperance, left, wears a colorful ribbon skirt and holds a drum. Dr. François Doiron, top right, hugs a goat. Dr. Justin Bell, bottom right, stands in front of a small red plane. Compilation de photos de trois médecins. La Dre Alexa Lesperance, à gauche, porte une jupe à rubans colorés et tient un tambour. Le Dr François Doiron, en haut à droite, tient une chèvre dans ses bras. Le Dr Justin Bell, en bas à droite, se tient devant un petit avion rouge.

Rural Physicians Fill Gaps in Gender-Affirming Care

A trio of physicians are stepping up to fill major gaps in the health-care system and improve access to gender-affirming care in Northern Ontario. Gender-affirming care can be difficult to access anywhere in Canada, but in rural Northwestern Ontario, patients may travel long distances for even routine health checks. Blazing a trail in health care for trans and gender-diverse patients are physicians Dr. Alexa Lesperance in Fort Frances, Dr. François Doiron in Dryden, and Dr. Justin Bell in Sioux Lookout—all NOSM University alumni and faculty, as well as members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community themselves. “Gender-affirming care is lif...

Read more about physicians who provide gender-affirming care.
A young professional woman reaches forward in a handshake with another than cannot be seen. There are others around her.

Recruitment event for NOSM University medical learners aligns education with local needs

Physician recruiters from communities across Northern Ontario met with NOSM University medical learners on the evening of Thursday, November 13, 2025, at an event designed to support physician recruitment in the North.   The Northern Ontario Community Concierge and Connection Event, hosted in Sudbury, featured physician recruiters from more than 30 communities across Northern Ontario—from Hearst to Kenora. The inaugural event responded to community recruiters’ requests for a Northern Ontario–based forum to connect with NOSM University learners, providing space for communities to engage directly with the next generation of phys...

Read more about Recruitment Event.
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