Dr. Ben Quackenbush: Looking back on 20 years of NOSM University

When NOSM University opened its doors in 2005, Dr. Ben Quackenbush (MD 2009, Family Medicine 2011) was among the first students to embrace an entirely new model of medical education premiering in Northern Ontario. As a member of NOSM University’s inaugural Charter Class, he was part of a wave of learners experiencing distributed, community-engaged socially accountable medical education in ways that had not yet been embraced by other Canadian medical schools.

Twenty years on, Dr. Quackenbush remembers his early experiences as both exciting and filled with purpose. “It made sense to me to be trained where I was going to work. NOSM University’s approach to learning was innovative, and I wanted to be part of that,” he says.

Dr. Quackenbush was drawn to NOSM University’s strong focus on community and social accountability. Unlike the more conventional lecture-heavy teaching styles common at other medical schools at the time, he says NOSM’s curriculum felt student-centered, engaging, and forward-thinking.

Now more than 15 years into his medical career, Dr. Quackenbush works as a rural family physician on Manitoulin Island. His deep commitment to community-based practice remains unchanged.

Whether he’s seeing patients in clinic, working in the emergency department, delivering babies, or teaching medical learners, he thrives on the daily fluctuation. Dr. Quackenbush says his day-to-day work is as diverse as the community he serves.

“The variety is part of what’s so rewarding,” he shares. “Each aspect—whether it’s my family practice, emergency work, or obstetrics—contributes in a different way. And teaching residents and students has become a passion of mine.” Dr. Quackenbush often works with second-year residents and medical students, particularly those interested in maternity care. He views these mentorship opportunities as a vital part of both medical education and community development.

Dr. Quackenbush cites Dr. Roger Strasser, NOSM University’s Founding Dean, whose strong emphasis on social accountability helped shape the University’s identity twenty years ago, as a source of inspiration for his work. Reflecting on the past 20 years, Dr. Quackenbush tells the next generation of NOSM University learners to keep an open mind.

“Med school is a time to explore not only different areas of medicine, but also different types of communities and practices,” he says. While locum work can offer flexibility and exposure for new graduates, Dr. Quackenbush emphasizes the benefits of long-term commitment to a specific community. “I would encourage students to find somewhere they can really put down roots. That’s where the rewarding part of this career lies—in the relationships and the longevity of practice. Our communities need that, and I think new doctors will find more fulfillment in it too,” he shares.

As NOSM University continues to evolve, Dr. Quackenbush is confident it will build on its original mission: improving access to care in the North by training physicians where they are needed most, while embracing new opportunities to make an even greater impact on health equity. “If we can keep embedding learners into the communities while they are learning and show them what’s possible, that’s the future,” he says. “That’s how we make a difference.”

Dr. Quackenbush continues to live and practice where he can embody the spirit of NOSM University—community-focused, socially accountable, and deeply committed to making health care better for everyone in Northern Ontario.