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Addressing the Gaps

Northern Ontario. Meaningful Connections. Future Opportunities.

The 2026 Community Concierge and Connection Event brings Northern communities and NOSM University learners together to build connections that can support future learning, training, recruitment, and practice opportunities across the North. Medical students, residents, faculty, community recruiters, and health-care partners are invited to connect, ask questions, and explore what Northern Ontario has to offer. Participants can meet community recruiters, explore clinical placement opportunities, learn more about communities and future careers, and hear from NOSM University learners and residents about their experiences in the North. ...

Read more about the Community Concierge and Connection Event.
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.
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