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Northern physicians and workforce strategy focus of two new NOSM roles

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is pleased to announce two new roles with a focus on supporting northern physicians and workforce strategy. Driven by the need to create greater health equity for rural, remote, Francophone and Indigenous communities, NOSM is focused on building workforce capacity and introducing innovative models of care that will lead to more equitable access to care for patients in Northern Ontario.

“Providing professional development opportunities specific to our region’s realities is a key part of improving quality care in Northern Ontario and retaining physicians to rural and remote communities,” says Dr. Sarita Verma, NOSM Dean, President and CEO. “The Associate Dean, Continuing Education and Professional Development will lead NOSM in addressing the life-long learning needs of medical professionals in the North.”

“The Assistant Dean, Physician Workforce Strategy position is a critical addition to our NOSM’s leadership team particularly as we reengage with communities in finding sustainable solutions to physician recruitment and retention. New innovative models of care are required to achieve equitable access to care and this position is integral in getting there,” says Dr. Verma.

Joining NOSM’s decanal team are:

Dr. James Goertzen, Associate Dean, Continuing Education and Professional Development. Located in Thunder Bay, Dr. Goertzen has been NOSM’s Assistant Dean, Continuing Education & Professional Development for four years. Transitioning to the role of Associate Dean, Dr. Goertzen will be responsible for all aspects of planning, implementing and evaluating Continuing Education and Professional Development including Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for physicians, other health professionals, health professional education programs, and faculty development training and activities of NOSM.

Dr. Sarah Newbery, Assistant Dean, Physician Workforce Strategy. Located in Marathon, Dr. Newbery will work closely with NOSM leadership and health-care organizations across Northern Ontario and beyond, to seek integration and new models of health-care delivery and services, such as a Rural Generalist Pathway, the School’s First Nations residency program, and funding models to support rural and remote physicians. Dr. Newbery has been highly engaged with the School since its inception and has taken on an active teaching role for many years.

Dr. Goertzen begins his new role on April 1 and Dr. Newbery will begin March 1, both for three-year terms.

“We’re thrilled to have Drs. James Goertzen and Sarah Newbery join us in these roles. They have been actively engaged with NOSM for many years,” says Dr. Verma. “They are well known across the North, and are valued for their expertise in their respective areas.”

About the incumbents:

Dr. James Goertzen has been a leader in family medicine education for more than 30 years. Trained as a family physician, Dr. Goertzen is a Professor of Family Medicine and the former Assistant Dean of Continuing Education and Professional Development at NOSM. Prior to this, Dr. Goertzen served as NOSM’s Medical Director for Faculty Development. Preceding his time with NOSM, Dr. Goertzen directed rural postgraduate family medicine programs in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. Dr. Goertzen is a faculty member of the Canadian Leadership Institute for Medical Education and Executive Member and Chair Section of Teachers Council, College of Family Physicians of Canada. In 2017, Dr. Goertzen was awarded the Associated Medical Services 2017 Phoenix Fellowship to develop and sustain the compassionate physician leadership required to support the learning and practice of compassionate care in Northern Ontario. He has also been awarded fellowship by both the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC).

Dr. Sarah Newbery completed medical school at McMaster and postgraduate family medicine training in Thunder Bay through the Northern Ontario Medical Program. A fellow of both the CFPC and the SRPC, Dr. Newbery has been a rural physician in comprehensive community practice in Marathon since 1996 and is currently the Chief of Staff of the North of Superior Health Care Group. She is a past board member of the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) and is a past President of that organization. Most recently she was the VP Clinical for the Northwest LHIN and co-chair of the Northern Physician Resources Task Force, Dr. Newbery is also on several provincial health related committees and is chair of the OCFP’s Rural Mentoring Network and Leadership in Primary Care Mentoring Network. She has been an active community teacher and faculty member at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine since its inception and has been involved in several NOSM curriculum committees. Dr. Newbery believes strongly in equitable access to care for citizens of Canada’s rural communities and loves the professional work of being a comprehensive family physician in rural practice.

Northern Routes

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Climate change is having a profound impact in Northern Ontario. Challenges with unsafe water, deteriorating ice road access, food insecurity, wildfires, spring flooding and evacuations are worsening and increasing in frequency. The direct impact on community health is very real, so is the need to prepare NOSM learners who study, learn and practice across the North for these realities. They are at the front lines of this emergency.

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In the Spotlight

Integrating career development and additional student success measures into NOSM’s MD Program

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is proactively looking at implementing and integrating career supports into the core curriculum for all medical students. This added measure is intentionally aimed at supporting student wellness and improving ongoing success. It is part of NOSM’s wider plan to expand and renew curriculum as the School matures.

“It’s important to understand that in the first couple of years of medical school, curriculum develops and shapes students’ professional identities, helping them realize who they are as medical students and where their interests lie as future physicians,” says Dr. Jason Shack, NOSM’s Assistant Dean, Learner Affairs. “In years three and four, we look at supporting students through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) application process, which includes identifying electives they require, writing personal statements, preparing for the interview process These supports are provided to all students.”

Previous student evaluations identified the need for more professional development curriculum, regardless of the fact that NOSM maintains high match rates. Dr. Shack says NOSM is consistent with the best-practice standards across most medical schools in Canada.

“Generally speaking, we’ve had high success rates and match rates for CaRMS. But even with that, we know there are chances that students may go unmatched. We now have processes in place to support those students if and when it happens,” he explains. “This is an example of how NOSM is adapting to improve student supports, should they need them.”

Sherry Mongeau, Senior Learner Affairs Officer, says the School has been offering career support to students for many years, focusing on specific areas of improvement, including: personal statements, mock interviews, CVs, interview preparation, and guidance on electives.

The challenge so far has been finding time within the medical students schedule to work on these skills. At NOSM, professional development workshops are offered outside of regular class hours.

“Building professional development into the core curriculum helps, as it doesn’t add extra time to the student’s days. It also identifies that NOSM values career development as an important part of the medical student’s education and future,” says Dr. Shack. “Making it part of the formal curriculum will help improve student wellness by alleviating additional workload and some of the stress associated with the match.”

NOSM offers enhanced supports for unmatched students including the option to do an extended and enriched fifth-year at a significantly reduced tuition cost.

“NOSM’s Learner Affairs team continues to support all of our students whether they be at the undergraduate, extended, graduate or postgraduate level. Our role is to support them along the way,” says Dr. Shack.

For more information on student support measures, visit our MD program’s Career Planning and Mentorship page.

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