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NOSM and Science North inspire Northern Ontario Indigenous youth to pursue careers in health care

Indigenous youth across Northern Ontario are being invited to learn more about STEM concepts with the goal of inspiring a career in health care. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) and Science North signed a collaboration agreement on April 20, 2021 to partner on the delivery of health, life and human sciences related programming to Indigenous youth across Northern Ontario.

“Science North is very excited to be partnering with NOSM to deliver health sciences related educational programming to youth in First Nation communities. The programs developed will excite youth about the science in their everyday lives that relates to their bodies and deepen the understanding of the educational pathways possible to work in a health sciences field,” says Ryan Land, Director of Education and Northern Programs at Science North. “We’re delighted to work with NOSM professionals in designing the curriculum and developing take home STEM kits for youth in First Nation communities. This partnership contributes to our strategic goal of deepening our engagement with Indigenous audiences and being Science North in all of Northern Ontario.”

Science North and NOSM have identified 10 rural and remote schools and five schools in city centres across Northern Ontario at which the Science Day programming will be delivered. Programming will include the virtual delivery of the At Home STEM – Health Connections program for youth ages 8-13, as well as the virtual delivery of Science Days for youth ages 15-18. In addition, Ashlie Laframboise, Learner Recruitment and Support Coordinator at NOSM, will speak with youth about pathways to education.

“With communities spread apart across an expanse of over 800,000 square kilometres, and many of them lacking consistent access to essential services, Indigenous youth in Northern Ontario often find themselves isolated and disproportionately affected by the social determinants of health,” says Yolanda Wanakamik, Director of Indigenous Affairs at NOSM. “By combining human resources, existing relationships with communities and schools, we can and will make an impact.”

This partnership is made possible through the generous donation of founding supporters RBC, with a funding commitment of $195,000 through RBC Future Launch, and a $20,000 donation from the Aubrey and Marla Dan Foundation.

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About Science North 
Science North is Northern Ontario’s most popular tourist attraction and an educational resource for children and adults across the province. Science North maintains the second – and eighth- largest science centres in Canada. Science North’s attractions include a science centre, IMAX® theatre, digital Planetarium, butterfly gallery, special exhibits hall, and Dynamic Earth: Home of the Big Nickel. Science North, in partnership with Laurentian University, have developed North America’s first and only comprehensive Science Communication program, a joint graduate diploma program. As part of its mandate, Science North provides science experiences throughout Northern Ontario including outreach to schools and festivals, summer science camps and more, and has a permanent base in Thunder Bay providing outreach to the Northwest. Science North is an agency of the Government of Ontario. For more information, please visit sciencenorth.ca.

About the Northern Ontario School of Medicine
The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is an award-winning socially accountable medical school renowned for its innovative model of distributed, community-engaged education and research. With a focus on diversity, inclusion, and advocacy for health equity, NOSM relies on the commitment and expertise of the peoples and communities of Northern Ontario to educate health-care professionals to practise in Indigenous, Francophone, rural, remote and underserved communities. NOSM’s graduates, faculty, learners and staff are changemakers who lead health-system transformation in Northern Ontario. The School is a recipient of the Charles Boelen International Social Accountability Award from the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada and the prestigious ASPIRE award, which recognize international excellence in social accountability and medical education.

For further information, please contact: news@nosm.ca

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Registration for NOSM’s Virtual CampMed Now Open

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is excited to announce that CampMed will be offered entirely online from July 12 to July 23, 2021, marking the second year of virtual CampMed.

NOSM’s 16th annual summer camp is designed for high-school students interested in a career in health care. CampMed focuses on four core learning areas: interprofessionalism, leadership, culture, and clinical skills. The experience provides Northern youth with an opportunity to explore a variety of health-care careers and be mentored by post-secondary students.

This year’s virtual CampMed will be led by a team of 27 university student volunteers as well as staff, faculty, and learners from NOSM. Sessions will include CSI, immunology and virology, medical imaging, Francophone and Indigenous health and culture, and much more.

CampMed is open to all Northern Ontario high school students in grades nine through twelve. Students must have completed grade nine to register. Pre-registration is required and there is no cost to participate. Register at nosm.ca/campmed.

For information on CampMed, contact NOSM’s Office of Admissions and Learner Recruitment toll-free at 1-800-461-8777 or by email to campmed@nosm.ca.

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The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is an award-winning socially accountable medical school renowned for its innovative model of distributed, community-engaged education and research. With a focus on diversity, inclusion, and advocacy for health equity, NOSM relies on the commitment and expertise of the peoples and communities of Northern Ontario to educate health-care professionals to practise in Indigenous, Francophone, rural, remote and underserved communities.

For information regarding NOSM’s CampMed, please contact:

The Office of Admissions and Learner Recruitment
Northern Ontario School of Medicine
Phone: 1-800-461-8777
Email: campmed@nosm.ca

For media requests regarding this PSA, please contact:

news@nosm.ca

In the Spotlight

NOSM’s Founding Dean Emeritus receives Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Dr. Roger Strasser, Founding Dean Emeritus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM), received an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada at an award ceremony held on April 27, 2021.

In the 17 years Dr. Strasser served as NOSM’s Founding Dean, he played a fundamental role in creating a medical school grounded in social accountability and with a specific mandate to educate physicians to practise in areas of need in Northern Ontario. He was instrumental in establishing the School to function as an independent, non-profit corporation with its own board of directors, receiving funding directly from the Ontario government for its health professional education and research programs.

As the first Canadian medical school established with an explicit social accountability mandate, Dr. Strasser’s influence at NOSM has had a lasting impact on both health care delivery in Northern Ontario and other medical schools in Canada and internationally that have since adopted the value of social accountability.

“I think one of the keys to the development of the School and its success is the social accountability mandate,” Dr. Strasser told the Royal College. “The founding documents that established the Northern Ontario School of Medicine were very specific about the social accountability mandate to the people of Northern Ontario. That’s very important. The School has always measured it’s success in terms of improving the health of the peoples and communities in Northern Ontario.”

An article from the Royal College says NOSM graduates laud his contribution to rural, socially responsible medicine. “By bringing this expertise to the Sudbury and Thunder Bay campuses of NOSM, he demonstrated to the region and to the country what innovation and determination can do,” says Dr. Jeniva Donaleshen, NOSM Alumna (MD, 2012). “After all, he initiated and implemented a strategy that would ultimately populate the northern, rural, and remote communities of Northern Ontario with family physicians and specialists alike.”

Up to four Honorary Fellows can be appointed per year by the Royal College Council. There is a long-standing tradition of offering Honorary Fellowship to the Governor General of Canada, the patron of the Royal College, at the commencement of the term of office.

 

NOSM University