Recent Updates

TO ALL LEARNERS, STAFF AND FULL-TIME FACULTY:

Earlier this week, Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, issued a plea to strongly encourage all Ontarians to wear a mask in all indoor public settings to help combat the triple threat of COVID-19, the seasonal flu and the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) that is affecting the paediatric population and placing additional pressures on our already stressed health care system.

In support of this recommendation, NOSM University is strongly encouraging everyone entering NOSM U campus buildings to wear a mask when in public (common) areas, classrooms and within any space where social distancing is not possible. While masking is not mandatory at this time, we ask everyone to be respectful of individuals’ preferences to wear a mask.

Masks will be available in various public areas. If you require additional masks for a scheduled event, please contact Facilities at facilities@nosm.ca.

Additionally, NOSM University continues to support these important measures:

• Stay home if you are sick
• If you experience COVID-19 symptoms, take the Self-Assessment Screeningand follow the instructions. If you have been exposed to COVID-19, please follow the Government of Ontario’s direction.
• Practice good hand hygiene and regularly clean surfaces
• Strengthen your personal protection this season by getting the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 booster dose.

For additional information on NOSM U’s response to COVID-19, please visit our website at nosm.ca/covid-19.

If you have any concerns or questions, please email hr@nosm.ca.

NOSM University’s Emergency Response Team

Update on Return to Campus

Communiqué to all NOSM Staff and Full-Time Faculty – Update on COVID-19/the Return to Campus Plan

Communiqué to all NOSM Staff and Full-Time Faculty – Update on COVID-19/the Return to Campus Plan

Communiqué to all NOSM Staff and Full-Time Faculty – Update on the Return to Campus Plan

Communiqué to all NOSM Staff and Full-Time Faculty – Update on COVID-19/Return to Campus Plan

Communiqué to all NOSM Staff and Full-Time Faculty – IMPORTANT NOTICE: Update on COVID-19/Return to Campus Plan

IMPORTANT NOTICE: UPDATE ON COVID-19/RETURN TO CAMPUS PLAN EFFECTING SUDBURY OPERATIONS ONLY

TO ALL NOSM STAFF AND FULL-TIME FACULTY:

WORK FROM HOME ORDER ISSUED BY PUBLIC HEALTH SUDBURY AND DISTRICTS

Due to the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in the City of Greater Sudbury (Sudbury), Public Health Sudbury and Districts’ (PHSD) Medical of Officer of Health, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, issued Work-from-Home instructions to all businesses and organizations currently operating in Sudbury.

As such, effective Monday, November 29, 2021, all staff and full-time faculty on NOSM’s Sudbury campus who are not required to be on campus to support academic programs or essential on-campus activities, are asked to work from home until further notice.

Additionally, PHSD is reissuing its call to Sudbury residents to:

• limit outings
• work from home where possible
• get vaccinated for COVID-19
• get your flu shot
• practice good hand hygiene
• wear your face mask/covering
• keep 2 metres distance from those outside your household
• monitor yourself for symptoms and stay home when ill (even mildly symptomatic people should self-isolate immediately and seek testing to prevent spreading COVID-19 in the community)

NOSM’s Vaccination Policy

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) continues to take proactive steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its learners, staff, faculty and visitors who attend NOSM campus buildings in Sudbury and Thunder Bay.

To help ensure a safe learning and work environment, NOSM has established a Vaccine Policy that will take effect immediately.

As part of this policy, all individuals who access NOSM campus facilities (in Sudbury and Thunder Bay) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. For those who are unvaccinated, and are required to be on campus, will be required to undergo regular testing for COVID-19 and provide a negative test in order to access campus.

Please refer to the appropriate policy for additional details:

Learners in Clinical Settings
 Staff, Faculty, Volunteers and Visitors

COVID-19 Communique #25: For NOSM Staff and Full-Time Faculty 

COVID-19 Communique #24: For Learner, Staff and Full-Time Faculty

COVID-19 HR Communique #21: For NOSM Learners, Staff and Full-Time Faculty

COVID19 NOTICE: Positive Case on NOSM (Lakehead) Campus

An individual on campus tested positive for COVID-19 and is at home self-isolating. This person was at Balmoral Street Centre (BSC) on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, in the morning only, and did not come into direct contact with anyone at BSC that day.

While the news of this could be worrisome, at this stage, we are not concerned about broader transmission at NOSM and have therefore, not instituted any building access restrictions at BSC.

NOSM Administration has been in contact with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) to support any contact tracing requirements. We will work with and follow the direction of the TBDHU and will communicate accordingly should anything change.

If you have any symptoms or are concerned about possible exposure, please take the Ministry of Health online COVID-19 self-assessment and follow the instructions provided.

In the meantime, be assured that NOSM is taking all necessary safety precautions. Should you have any questions or concerns, please email hr@nosm.ca.

We had a great turn out for the Whole School Webinar on Friday morning. If you were unable to join us, you can watch the recording on the NOSM website. The webinar covered the following topics:

• Education & Research Updates
• Return to Campus
• Minimizing COVID-19 Risk on Campus
• Mandatory Use of Face Mask Protocol
• Travel Guidelines (attached)
• Event Planning on Campus (attached) 
• Positive Case on Campus Protocol

On July 6, 2020, NOSM began a Return to Campus process to gradually and safely return people to campus and to slowly restore on-site operations that were partially shut down in early March after the pandemic was announced.

I want to thank our learners, staff and faculty for their patience, dedication, creativity, understanding and support during these very unpredictable and volatile times.

For those who have returned or are returning, NOSM requires that you review a mandatory training presentation and sign an online Attestation that follows the training. The goal of the training is to provide a baseline set of practices to be followed by everyone returning to campus. The Attestation will confirm your commitment to: practice proper physical distancing; use the recommended personal protective equipment; and to self-monitor for symptoms or possible exposure. Please contact hr@nosm.ca for more information.

We understand that returning to campus may create fears about associated health risks. For that reason, NOSM has instituted enhanced safety measures to ensure that employees and learners are returning to a safe workplace. Despite our plans to return people to campus in a staged and safe manner, the overarching principle throughout this process is to refrain from having people on campus if work or learning can occur virtually. All members of the NOSM community are asked to support this approach.

• COVID19 Return to Campus – Whole School Update August 7 2020 FINAL
• COVID19 Returning to Campus – NOSM Mandatory Employee Training July 6 2020
• NOSM’s Event Planning Guide During COVID-19
• NOSM’s Travel Guidelines during COVID-19

NOSM Support for Personal Protective Equipment

NOSM Whole School Webinar

Thank you for joining us this morning at the NOSM Whole School Webinar.

Missed it? View the presentation.

Stay tuned for a Return to Campus section, coming soon to nosm.ca/covid-19.

Assessment of Community and Clinical Teaching Capacity Project

Vice Dean Academic, Dr. Catherine Cervin, and I are pleased to announce that Ms. Sue Berry has accepted a term contract to help us understand how we can better support clinical teachers and address infrastructure challenges across Northern Ontario teaching sites. As the lead for the Assessment of Community and Clinical Teaching Capacity Project, Sue will be working as Advisor to the Dean and in close collaboration with the Associate Deans Undergraduate Medical Education and Postgraduate Medical Education and Health Sciences.

She will be responsible for completing an in-depth assessment of clinical capacity needs to train medical students and residents and allied health professionals in existing UME CCC sites, Integrated Community Experience (ICE) (106, 108, 110) sites, and capacity for UME clinical electives and residency training at the larger sites.

We would like to thank you in advance for your contributions should you be contacted for an interview, invited to be part of a focus group or respond to a survey as part of this important capacity project.

Please feel free to contact Nicole Lauzon, Chief of Staff (nlauzon@nosm.ca) if you have any questions relating to this announcement.

Electives Request for NOSM Fourth-Year Students

Realizing that all of the Northern teaching communities have been extremely busy with pandemic planning, we are reaching out to LEGs across Northern Ontario to ask for your support for the NOSM fourth-year students (Class of 2021). They are facing a critical, compressed clinical year and will need 18 weeks of electives in Northern Ontario beginning as early as July 6, 2020 through to April 18, 2021, to graduate successfully in June 2021 and start residency.

Unfortunately, electives at other Ontario medical schools will likely not be available because of COVID restrictions. NOSM also will be unable to accommodate electives from other schools for an undetermined length of time.

Many LEGs across Northern Ontario have been providing electives to students and residents from NOSM and other schools. Thank you if you are one of those LEGs!  If not we hope this may be an opportunity for your LEG to mentor and teach students to prepare them for residency.

We are asking for your support to create and/or continue to offer:

• Clinical electives in your discipline (2 – 3 weeks in length), or
• Non-clinical experiences (e.g. research electives, education leadership, public health administration etc.  1 – 3 weeks in length)

We invite you to complete the online form:

• Clinical Electives – English  |  French
• Non-Clinical Electives – English  |  French

If you have been offering electives in the past, this new process should be more organized and streamlined.

Please contact Dr. Cathy Cervin (ccervin@nosm.ca) cell 705-561-0997 with questions.

Thank you for supporting the NOSM fourth-year class! We look forward to hearing from you.

While working from home, I’ve discovered that the NOSM community is incredibly talented. Here’s a musical message about how “this ain’t no ordinary flu” from Dr. Thomas Higgins, NOSM Assistant Professor in Parry Sound.

Staff and Faculty

• A message from NOSM Human Resources has been posted to the Staff and Faculty page concerning campus closure, planning a return to campus, and scheduling vacation.

MD Students

• Updates have been made to the MD Students page, including the addition of information concerning the 2021 MCC Part 1 and new information for Phase 1 students.

Health-Care Agencies and  Summer Studentship Program Applicants  

• An update from the NOSM Summer Studentship Program has been posted to the Summer StudentshipProgram page.

NOSM COVID-19 Weekly Clinical Rounds

• Join us tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. EST. This week’s topic is COVID-19: An Evolving Infectious Disease, featuring Dr. Roger Sandre, Medical Director, Infection Control Program/Regional HIV Program NE Ontario. Learn more.

Tomorrow: Virtual Mini Northern Constellations

• Join us for a Virtual Mini Northern Constellations tomorrow afternoon, Friday, May 8, with Dr. Ken Milne. Everyone welcome! Join by WebEx. For a more detailed synopsis of the event/Keynote Speaker, please visit the Northern Constellations 2020 webpage.

MD Students

• A message from The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) regarding the 2021 R-1 match has been posted to the MD Student page under “Priorities from The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada.”

Researchers

• The AFMC has released new documents related to COVID-19 research and returning to research. These documents can be found in a new section for messaging from The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) on the Researchers page.

Wellness

• Sudbury & District Nurse Practitioners Clinic is offering online mindfulness-awareness stabilization training on May 19-22. Learn more about the free online program and other wellness resources available to you on the Wellness Resource page.

Let’s end the week on a high note! Check out this must-see video created by Drs. Jamileh Shaffaf and Sean Robinson, graduates of NOSM Family Medicine residency program, who are practising in Wawa. NOSM’s got talent!

Please see the following updates:

NOSM Community COVID-19 Information Session (April 27)

• Thank you for joining us Monday and a special thank you to Dr. Mamta Gautam, Psychiatrist, for discussing resiliency and mental health. If you missed it, the recorded session is available here. Learn more about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadians from this study by the Angus Reid Institute.

Residents

• Additional wellness resources available for residents have been posted online on the Residents page under “I feel stressed, who can I turn to?”

Researchers

• Ten Guiding Principles for Research Trainees in the Era of COVID-19 has been posted to the Researchers page.

For those of you who read my blog this week, you know that I’ve been enjoying music while in quarantine. Here’s another song that you may enjoy: “I know we’ll meet again, some sunny day!”

Please note the following updates:

#NOSMkind

• Help us gather #NOSMkind stories of people who are staying home. Are you homeschooling children while studying or working? Are you taking care of an elderly family member? Getting groceries for your neighbour? Email communications@nosm.ca.
• Dr. Robert Pastre, Charter Class alumnus, has partnered on apparel4acause.com to raise funds locally for COVID-19.
• Northern Ontario #PPEforHCP has a new website northernontarioppe.ca.

Indigenous Communities

• A resource page for Indigenous Communities has been added to nosm.ca/covid-19.

MD Students

• A revised Joint Statement to all Ontario Medical Students has been posted.
• Updates have been posted to the Electives section of the MD Student page regarding Internal NOSM electives for NOSM students and Visiting Electives at Canadian Medical Schools.

NOSM Community COVID-19 Information Session

• Join us on Monday, April 27 from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. for updates across the School, as well as a discussion, facilitated by Dr. Mamta Gautam (bio).

Please remember to send your questions ahead of the information session to communications@nosm.ca.

Our hearts are heavy today following the tragic events in Nova Scotia over the weekend. My thoughts are with all the families and friends who are experiencing this incredible loss. I would like to remind you that wellness resources are available. These are difficult times and I ask you to please take care of yourself and make time for wellness.

We start this week off with the following updates:

NOSM Community COVID-19 Information Session

Join Dr. Sarita Verma on Monday, April 27 from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. for updates across the School, as well as a discussion, facilitated by Dr. Mamta Gautam (bio).

Please send your questions ahead of the information session to communications@nosm.ca.

Connection Information:

WebEx

Meeting number (access code): 613 588 966

Meeting password: iESHPP35Cc4

Agenda

1. Welcome & Opening Remarks:  Dr. Sarita Verma
2. Updates
3. Education:
   • UME: Dr. Cathy Cervin, Dr. Brian Ross, John Friesen
   • PGME: Dr. Rob Anderson, Jennifer Fawcett
   • CEPD: Dr. James Goertzen
   • Graduate Studies: Dr David Marsh
4. Faculty & Staff: Ray Hunt
5. Facilitated Discussion: Dr. Mamta Gautam

NOSM Staff and Full-Time Faculty

• Update from NOSM Finance regarding ordering office supplies for home use can be found online on the Staff and Faculty information page.

Residents

• Orientation information for incoming PGY1s and updates on Certification Examinations & Provisional/Restricted Licensure has been posted to the Residents page.

MD Students

• A Joint Statement to all Ontario Medical Students has been posted to the MD Student page.

Researchers

• Update on the impact of COVID-19 on strategic funding competitions can be found online under the Researchers information page.

Staff and Faculty

• An update from Human Resources regarding an extended campus closure and coping with working in isolation has been posted to the Staff and Faculty

Staff and Faculty

• Please see the update from Human Resources regarding Parking Fees at the Staff and Faculty information page.

NOSM COVID-19 Weekly Clinical Rounds

• Join us for NOSM COVID-19 Weekly Clinical Rounds Fridays at 12:30 p.m. EST.
• Friday, April 17: Respiratory Care in the North Amidst the Pandemic

MD Students

• Electives: AFMC Update April 15, 2020

Residents

• Residents and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Guidelines have been updated and can be found under the “Do I have to go to work during a pandemic?” section of the Residents information page.

Visiting Learners

• Clarifications regarding electives have been posted online under Visiting Canadian Electives.

Researchers

• Tri-council funding programs updates have been issued over the last few weeks. Program-specific information is available on NOSM’s COVID information page under Researchers. Links will be updated as new information becomes available.
• The NOSM Research Office reminds researchers that any new COVID 19 related projects still require a completed Research Approval Form.  Guidelines for the Approval Form can assist in this process.
• New section for Information for graduate students is available on NOSM’s COVID information page under Researchers.

#NOSMkind

• Thank you for the creativity, kindness and innovation of our community during this difficult time. Your kindness is uplifting and sharing your efforts will continue to unite and inspire us all.
• Read #NOSMkind stories.

 Wellness Resources

• Sudbury Shared Harvest and the Sudbury Community Garden Network are encouraging people of all ages and abilities to “cultivate their neighbourhood” by growing food any way you can – in their own yard, balcony or even a window box. The Community Garden Network has a YouTube channel with videos by local gardeners and we’re hoping to add more in the near future. It can be found at: youtube.com/channel/UCAqSD5Wj115AFNsUsV_rtIg

Next week, we will begin providing regular updates but not necessarily on a daily basis.

MD Students

• Phase 1 Reassessment Schedule has been posted. Further details will be communicated by the Office of Assessment.

Congratulations to Dr. Marina Ulanova and her team for having their research highlighted in The Chronicle-Journal, Thunder Bay’s newspaper, yesterday.

Here are some updates for today:

• Northern Constellations 2020
  • A Virtual Mini Northern Constellations educational program is being planned for the afternoon of May 8 which will feature Dr. Ken Milne sharing his expertise on providing care during COVID-19 to our patients, colleagues and ourselves.
  • No pre-registration is required.
  • Updates will be available on the CEPD website.
• Charity collection bins creating public health and safety issues  

• Dr. Patricia Smith shared with me the attached open letter regarding donation bins. People are continuing to drop off textiles and garbage in charity donation bins but due to COVID-19, charities have stopped pick-up at donation bins.

One day left to our work week. NOSM is closed on April 10 for Good Friday and April 13 for Easter Monday.

Visiting Canadian Electives

• NOSM will be cancelling all visiting and international electives until September 27^th, 2020 as of Monday, April 6^th, 2020. See more details at nosm.ca/covid-19 under Visiting Learners.

MD Students

• Phase 1:  View the recorded April 3 virtual Town Hall recording online.
• Phase 2: The QPA4 is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, 2020
• Phase 3: Updates regarding NOSM MCC Boot Camp and Phase 3 QPA #1 have been posted. For more information, please visit nosm.ca/covid-19 under MD Students.

Staff and Faculty

• Please see a message from Human Resources regarding Home Office Equipment under Staff and Faculty.
• New: Faculty Teaching Residents page has been created. Clinical faculty will find PARO Principles for Duty Hours & the Government Emergency Act, PARO Approved COVID Scheduling Models, as well as recent memos from Dr. Rob Anderson.
• Additional wellness resources have been added to NOSM’s Response to COVID-19 section, including a new section relating to physical health.

Researchers

• Please see the recent CIHR announcement under How is my funding impacted?

Our learners, faculty and staff are pulling together to support each other and it’s truly inspiring. I’m proud of the compassion you are showing each other during this time. Here are the updates as this week wraps up:

• #PPEforHCPs: Over 100 student volunteers from NOSM, Lakehead and Laurentian are working together to redistribute existing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to those who need it most. The volunteers are in more than 30 communities across Northern Ontario. Learn more about this initiative.
• Convocation: Please the notice regarding Convocation at nosm.ca/covid-19.
• MD Program Virtual Town Halls
  • Phase 1: The Town Hall meeting today at 3:00 will be recorded. An email will come from UME with instructions on viewing.
  • Phase 2: View the recorded Town Hall meeting here: https://stream.nosm.ca/1/Watch/649571.aspx
  •  Phase 3: The Town Hall meeting yesterday afternoon was recorded. An email will come from UME with instructions on viewing.
• Finance Unit Update: Claims processing information and timelines can be found online under Information for Staff and Faculty. Resident travel claims information can be found online under Information for Residents.

COVID-19 Rounds 

• UME will be hosting virtual Town Hall meetings for Phases 1, 2, and 3 this week.
  • Phase 1: Friday, April 3, 2020, at 3:00 PM (EST
  • Phase 2: Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at 2:00 PM (EST)
    • For more information, please see the Phase 2 Town Hall Agenda.
  • Phase 3: Thursday, April 2, 2020, at 2:00 PM (EST)
    • For more information, please see the Phase 3 Town Hall Agenda.
• Phase-specific connection information can be found in your Phase section of the Information for MD Students page.

Please note that daily updates on NOSM operations during COVID-19 will be sent from this email address.

All updates are being posted on NOSM’s website in real-time.

• MD Students
  • UME will be hosting virtual Town Hall meetings for Phases 1, 2, and 3 this week, to address any questions from students regarding the recent measures taken by NOSM.
    • Phase 1: Friday, April 3, 2020, at 3:00 PM (EST
    • Phase 2: Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at 2:00 PM (EST)
    • Phase 3: Thursday, April 2, 2020, at 2:00 PM (EST)
      Phase-specific connection information can be found in your Phase section of the Information for MD Students page.
  • Recordings of class lectures will be made available to MD students. Information regarding the rules on accessing the lecture capture can be found under Information for All Phases.
  • Updates regarding the delivery of P1SA and BREs for CBMs 105, 108 and 111, as well as Phase 1 Personal Days can be found under Information for MD Students.

• Staff, Faculty and Learners: An update from Human Resources (March 27, 2020) can be found on the Information for Staff and Faculty page.
• The Working Remotely Toolkit can now be accessed from any page on NOSM’s website – just click on the blue triangle at the bottom right-hand corner of your browser window.

• Psychological Resources For Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • During the outbreak, many mental health professionals will be working to offer psychological support and advice to front-line medical staff, clients, and the public. We have put together this page to collate online resources to assist your clinical practice during the current global health crisis.
  • If you are aware of any resources that you believe would be helpful to your colleagues please get in touch: support@psychologytools.com

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead,

Dr. Verma

Happy Friday everyone!

The week wraps up with the following updates:

• New information for students:
  • Volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Working during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Research labs:
  • Closed at NOSM at Laurentian University.
  • NOSM at Lakehead University research labs are closed as of today at 4:30 p.m.
  • NOSM Laboratory Coordinators, are essential services and will be checking the labs biweekly to monitor fridges, freezers, water systems, and general safety of the space and equipment.
  • See more updates at the Information for Researchers page.
• Physician Assistant 2nd Year Students: Please see an updated message from The University of Toronto regarding clinical rotations.
• New wellness resources for frontline health professionals, including an option for free psychotherapy. Read more about this and other Wellness Resources available to you.

Hang in there, remember, we are all in this together!

Enjoy your weekend everyone,

Dr. Verma

Hi everyone,

It looks like it’s a beautiful, sunny day across most of Northern Ontario! Hopefully you’re able to enjoy the beautiful spring weather with your family, while being mindful of physical distancing.

Here are a couple of updates for today:

UME Virtual Town Halls

• April 1-3, UME will be hosting virtual Town Hall meetings for Phase 1, 2, and 3 respectively, to address any questions from students regarding the recent measures taken by NOSM. Participants are encouraged to join via the WebEx or audio connections. Phase-specific connection information can be found in the respective Phase section of the Information for MD Students page.

Lakehead University has announced that Spring Convocation ceremonies, originally planned for May/June 2020, have been postponed until further notice.Convocation ceremonies will be rescheduled for some time this Fall. Students eligible to graduate will have their degrees conferred in spring 2020 following approval at the Lakehead University May 2020 Senate meeting. For more information, visit Lakehead University’s COVID-19 web page or contact convocation@lakeheadu.ca.

Phase 1:
OSCE for Y2  MD students scheduled for May 7, 2020 is cancelled.
Please visit the website for updates regarding CBM 106.

Residents:

• Update from the CPSO & PARO regarding Certification Examinations & Provisional Licensure.
• Royal College Residents – Please see the update from March 26, 2020 about the postponement of the RCPSC certification exams and some information about licensure from the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

NOSM’s CEPD Unit has put together a set of COVID-19 online resources specific to clinical faculty; now available on nosm.ca/covid-19.

Wellness Resources: Resources have been added. The Health Sciences Library has great resources for staying active while working from homeand the OMA invites physicians to drop in virtually between noon and 1:00 p.m. each weekday to support one another during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please continue to send your general questions to communications@nosm.ca.

More to come tomorrow.

Have a great evening!

Dr. Verma

Hang in there everyone! One day at a time. You are all doing a great job! If you missed the COVID-19 Briefing this morning, you can view it here. Please remember that if you have any questions, you can email them to communications@nosm.ca and we will answer them as soon as we are able.

• • Research guidelines related to COVID-19 have been updated for Lakehead University and Laurentian University.
    • Lakehead University details, please visit lakeheadu.ca.
    • Laurentian University details, please see: laurentian.ca.
  • Information for MD students has been updated with a Statement on AFMC Student Portal.
  • Phase 3 Student information updates: for incoming Phase 3 students, Clinical Rotations, Electives, MCC QE Part 1 Exam and NOSM MCC Boot Camp, QPA#4
  • Updates on Certification Examinations:
    • Family Medicine Residents – Please see the update from March 19, 2020 about the timing of the CFPC certification exam and some information about licensure from the Executive Director and CEO of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).
    • Royal College Residents – Please see the update from March 19, 2020 about the RCPSC certification exams and some information about licensure from the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
    • All upcoming Medical Council of Canada qualifying exams have also been postponed.
  • CBM 106: Students will not be travelling to Communities in May 2020.  Alternative plans will be communicated to students when information becomes available.
  • The Knowledge Sharing Circle at NOSM at Laurentian University will be moved online for Thursday, March 26 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. The topic is Asemaa (Tobacco) Offerings & 4 Sacred Medicines with Perry McLeod-Shabogesic of Nipissing First Nation. Please RSVP.

Dr. Verma

Dear Learners, Faculty and Staff,

As things move rapidly with the COVID-19 pandemic, NOSM continues to take precautionary measures to protect our learners, faculty and staff. I will update you as frequently as possible and remind you to check our COVID-19 webpage for up-to-date information and notifications. I will also be holding a briefing on Monday, March 16 at 8:30 a.m. by WebEx.

Please note that as of today, the following face-to-face events have been cancelled: NOSM’s Northern Constellations, the Canadian Conference on Medical Education (CCME), and the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) conference. Please visit these websites for more information about their plans.  Refer to the FAQ’s for Staff and Faculty on NOSM’s website if you have questions about outstanding expenses for these events.

NOSM’s interview weekend scheduled for March 28 and 29 will not take place in person. Admissions has communicated this information to participants and will have a virtual process in place to accommodate the interviews online. More information will be posted on NOSM’s website as it becomes available.

Each NOSM portfolio has been providing updates as required and posting updates to the FAQ’s on nosm.ca/covid-19.

As you know NOSM travel for full-time faculty and staff has been suspended until further notice. All meetings can be attended to by teleconference or video/WebEx.

I am discouraging everyone from travelling during this time. If you chose to do so for personal reasons, you may will be asked to fill in a screening form and possibly self-isolate upon your return.

Your health and wellbeing is the most important thing during these times.

Please be patient with this process and with each other. Treat each other with kindness and respect. These are unprecedented times and we should focus on maintaining our health and supporting each other whenever possible.

Precautionary Measures

There remains a concern, shared by many, about the rapid growth and spread of the novel coronavirus around the world and in Canada.

Effective immediately, NOSM has taken precautionary measures as it relates to travel. Please read the below memo and screening form.

Despite the low risk to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) constituency, there remains a concern, shared by many, about the rapid growth and spread of the novel coronavirus around the world and in Canada.

Effective immediately, NOSM has taken precautionary measures as it relates to travel:

1. All visiting international electives (undergraduate MD or other) are cancelled.
2.  All short-term international lecturers/visiting international guests should communicate with their appropriate NOSM contact (details below) to make alternate arrangements.
3.  Any form of international travel is undertaken at your own risk. Upon your return you may be subject to testing and possible quarantine (details below).

The situation is changing rapidly. Please stay up to date by checking the NOSM website.

Overview

According to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, as of March 7, 2020 the risk of contracting COVID-19 in Ontario remains low at this time. NOSM has established a COVID-19 Response Team which meets weekly and is in regular communication with public health, hospitals and teaching sites.

Although we are not able to predict the eventual magnitude of the threat from COVID-19, NOSM continues to monitor the situation and is committed to the safety and health of NOSM learners, faculty and staff and minimize the effect on learning and work.

At this time, we have no information about certification exams for NOSM residents. We will provide an update with this information on the website as we receive it.

Procedural Changes related to Travel for Learners, Faculty and Staff

With the increasing number of countries affected by COVID-19, NOSM is adopting the following procedural changes:

For incoming learners (from other medical schools):

• International medical students coming from anywhere outside Canada will have their electives cancelled going forward.
• Residents from outside Canada coming for one month or less will have their electives cancelled going forward.
• Residents and Fellows from outside Canada coming for more than one month will be subject to a two-week self-quarantine (if asymptomatic) after arrival in Canada. These learners may consider arriving early in order to start on time.

For NOSM learners, staff or faculty considering travel outside Canada

• International Electives, including the USA, are cancelled until further notice.
• NOSM related international travel to affected areas deemed as high risk (per the federal government’s travel advisories) is not permitted until further notice. We will reassess this directive regularly and updates will be posted to the NOSM website.
• We highly recommend that you follow the federal government’s travel advisories for personal travel and carefully consider the impact of non-essential travel outside of Canada.
• During this time of heightened concern, NOSM will do its utmost to support learners and continue educational programs as best possible while fulfilling our obligation to wise practice in public health and safety.
• Given that global information regarding COVID-19 is changing rapidly, learners who have travelled outside Canada may be quarantined and unable to come to work or participate in their rotations for 14 days, which could lead to lost educational time that must be made up at a future date. Learners who are quarantined will be encouraged to explore remote attendance at academic or group activities with the relevant program lead.
• Travel to CLIC in South Africa on October 11-14, 2020 should not be booked at this time.

For NOSM learners, staff or faculty considering travel within Canada

• NOSM does not require you to travel to attend external conferences or meetings (e.g. CCME)
• Decisions about proceeding face-to-face for Northern Constellations have not been made yet. Participants are encouraged to register and further updates will be provided as available.
• Travel to CCME (April, Vancouver) and SRPC (April, Ottawa) is still permitted. This recommendation will be monitored and updated regularly. Organizers of CCME are meeting the week of March 9 to decide if any change to planning is needed
• Learner travel for electives or conferences within Canada are still permitted, at this time. However, this will be at your own risk and you may be subject to testing and possible quarantine. Please contact the designated NOSM contact (noted below) prior to booking travel.

Returning to NOSM from international travel

All learners, staff or faculty returning from any international travel will be asked to complete a screening form (see attached) before returning to work or academic activity.

• If you become, or are, symptomatic (i.e. develop a fever, cough, difficulty breathing within 14 days), you are advised to:
  • isolate yourself at home (away from others) as quickly as possible
  • DO NOT VISIT, but IMMEDIATELY CONTACT BY PHONE, a health-care professional or local Public Health Unit.
    (Public Health contact information for your community can be found online.)
    • describe your symptoms and travel history
    • follow their instructions
  • continue to remain home until medical clearance is received
• If you are returning home from an affected area (as perthe federal government’s travel advisories) and are asymptomatic, you must remain home (self-isolate) for 14-days and remain asymptomatic for the 14-day duration, before returning to clinical duties and educational activities.
• If you are returning from international travel (but not an affected area as per the federal government’s travel advisories) and are asymptomatic, please contact the appropriate NOSM contact before returning to work, clinical duties or educational activities.

Questions?

For learner questions related to this memo, please contact:

Medical Students
John Friesen, Senior Director, Undergraduate Medical Education
jfriesen@nosm.ca

Residents and Health Sciences Learners
Jennifer Fawcett, Senior Director, Postgraduate Medical Education and Health Sciences
jfawcett@nosm.ca

Visiting Electives
Joel Leduc, Manager, Community Services
jleduc@nosm.ca

For clinical faculty questions related to this memo, please contact:
Anita Arella, Director, Faculty Affairs
aarella@nosm.ca

For staff and full-time faculty questions related to this memo, please contact:
Human Resources
hr@nosm.ca

For questions related to visiting research students, faculty, etc., please contact:
Patty Fink, Director, Research and Library Services
pfink@nosm.ca

About COVID-19

For more information about COVID-19 please visit the World Health Organization website.

To Reduce the Risk of Acquiring a Virus

• Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• Wash your hands often with soap under warm running water for at least 20 seconds (tip: sing Happy Birthday twice).
• Avoid touching your face unless you are sure your hands are clean.
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer only if soap and water are not available. It’s a good idea to always keep some with you when you travel.
• Practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette to reduce the spread of germs: sneeze/cough into a tissue and then dispose of it as soon as possible or if no tissue available sneeze/cough into your arm/elbow.
• A medical mask is not required if exhibiting no symptoms, as there is no evidence that wearing a mask–of any type–offers protection. However, in some cultures, masks may be commonly worn. If masks are to be worn, it is critical to follow best practices on how to wear, remove and dispose of them and on hand hygiene after removal.

Affected Areas with Travel Restrictions/Advisories

There are several active travel health notices for COVID-19. Each country or area may have different levels of risk. These risk levels may change as the COVID-19 event evolves internationally. Please follow the federal government’s travel advisories.

Additional Resources

• Government of Canada Travel Advice (COVID-19)
• Ontario Ministry of Health
• Public Health Ontario 
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• World Health Organization

If you have any questions or suggestions as to how NOSM can best manage our approach to COVID-19 please email dean@nosm.ca.