NOSM Holds Face-to-Face Board Meeting in Hearst

Monday May 16th, 2016 Alexandra Poling Leave a comment

Members Tour Hôpital Notre-Dame Hospital and Nord-Aski Family Health Facility, Participate in Interactive Learning Sessions, and Interact with Community Members

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) held its annual Board of Directors face-to-face meeting in Hearst, Ontario on May 12 and May 13, 2016.

On the first morning together, NOSM Board members enjoyed a tour of Hearst’s Hôpital Notre-Dame Hospital and Nord-Aski Family Health Facility organized by France Dallaire, Hospital CEO, Dr. Richard Claveau, Chief of Staff and Site Liaison Clinician for NOSM, and Maryléne Comeau, Physician Recruiter and Site Administrative Coordinator for NOSM.

Board members heard how the Hôpital Notre-Dame Hospital, a Francophone establishment in which all populations are treated with respect for their culture and language, works to contribute to improving the health of communities through leadership rooted in partnerships. The Nord-Aski Family Health Facility provides its mostly Francophone and Indigenous population with varied services that emphasize health promotion, illness prevention, early detection, and education. Each year, the City of Hearst, the Hôpital Notre-Dame Hospital, and the Nord-Aski Family Health Team welcome NOSM medical students and residents to live and learn in Hearst.

During the two-day meeting, Board members heard updates on behalf of NOSM’s Indigenous Reference Group and the Francophone Reference Group, and participated in several presentations and interactive sessions on the topics of postgraduate education, risk management, public relations, Board effectiveness, and community engagement.

Members welcomed Dr. Pierre Ouellette, Recteur de l’Université de Hearst, who shared exciting developments at the university that offers undergraduate programs in French on three campuses located in Hearst, Kapuskasing, and Timmins.

In the evening, NOSM Board members enjoyed a lumberjack-themed dinner at Hearst’s Heritage Sawmill Marketplace with local community members, including several representatives from the health and municipal organizations of Hearst. Following the dinner, several members enjoyed an optional community tour at the small, artisan Rheault Distillery, which prides itself for creating hand crafted, small batch spirits.

The Directors received reports from Academic Council and Admissions, and the newly released NOSM’s Report to Northern Ontario, which, at the near conclusion of NOSM’s 10^th anniversary year, describes how the School has been working with communities and partners across the North to build a healthier Northern Ontario.

The Directors received a Financial Report for the 10-month period ending February 28, 2016. In addition, the Board approved the proposed balanced budget of $44.07 million for the fiscal year May 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017, as presented.

At the formal Board meeting, members paid tribute to Dr. Robert Kerr, retiring Vice-President, Academic and Provost at Laurentian University, and thanked him for his outstanding commitment to NOSM as past Board Chair and Vice-Chair, as well as Chair of the Board’s Executive Committee.

The next meeting of the Board of Directors is scheduled to occur on September 21, 2016.

For a complete list of Board members, please visit our website at nosm.ca.

Contact:

news@nosm.ca

Media Releases

Extended Deadline to apply to NOSM’s Annual Health Sciences Summer Camp

Wednesday May 11th, 2016 Alexandra Poling Leave a comment

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) maintains a commitment to providing information to rural, remote, Indigenous, and Francophone youth about health careers.

This year NOSM will host its annual Health Sciences Summer Camp from July 4-8, 2016 at Laurentian University in Sudbury and from July 11-15, 2016 at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. These week-long programs provide students with an opportunity to explore health-care careers, obtain hands-on experience, and find a mentor.

Camp activities include: casting and x-rays; CSI; physiology and anatomy; Indigenous culture, health and tradition; Francophone culture, health and tradition; and, much more!

NOSM is currently seeking interested high school students who are 14-16 years of age and will be attending Grade 10 and 11 in September 2016. Application deadline has been extended to Friday, May 20, 2016. Accepted applicants will be contacted by NOSM by June 8, 2016 and will be required to submit a non-refundable registration fee of $400.

Financial opportunities are available to Indigenous students.

Students interested in participating in the camps are encouraged to contact Véronique Poirier, Health Sciences Summer Camp Coordinator, toll free at
1-800-461-8777 ext. 7198 or by email to camp@nosm.ca.

Indigenous Stories, Media Releases

NOSM Adopts “Indigenous Peoples” Terminology

Tuesday May 10th, 2016 Alexandra Poling Leave a comment

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) and the School’s Indigenous Reference Group (formerly known as Aboriginal Reference Group) together announce NOSM’s adoption of the terminology “Indigenous Peoples” in place of “Aboriginal Peoples.”

This change in terminology, recommended by NOSM’s Indigenous Reference Group (IRG) was motivated by the Canadian Government’s recognition of the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous People, included within the “Calls to Action” made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). The term “Indigenous,” used by the United Nations, is meant not to refer to people living in any particular region, but recognizes first peoples and their rights around the world.

“It is the role of the Indigenous Reference Group to advise NOSM’s Dean on matters that are important to the Indigenous Peoples of Northern Ontario,” says Dot Beaucage-Kennedy, Chair of NOSM’s Indigenous Reference Group. “The adoption of the term ‘Indigenous’ by NOSM is important to acknowledging the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and is another way that NOSM is demonstrating its acknowledgement of the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Northern Ontario, and the importance of the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the education of future health professionals.”

“I have deep gratitude for the advice provided to me from the Indigenous Reference Group, and I appreciate the importance of the terminology used by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to acknowledge the rights of Indigenous Peoples,” says Dr. Roger Strasser, NOSM’s Dean. “The Northern Ontario School of Medicine remains committed to addressing the needs of Indigenous Peoples across the region to ensure that NOSM is accountable to the cultural diversity of Northern Ontario.”

NOSM is guided by a social accountability mandate to contribute to improving the health of the people and communities of Northern Ontario. NOSM serves as the Faculty of Medicine of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and Laurentian University in Sudbury, with over 90 teaching and research sites across NOSM’s wider campus of Northern Ontario.

As part of their education, NOSM medical students spend four weeks living and learning in one of more than 40 Indigenous communities across Northern Ontario during their first year of the MD program. NOSM and the Indigenous Reference Group periodically host Indigenous Partnership Gatherings that bring together Indigenous Peoples from across the region to discuss how NOSM can better serve Indigenous communities.

NOSM University