Members Tour Health Centres, 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 Kenora, Ontario on May 7 and May 8, 2015.
On the first morning together, NOSM Board members enjoyed tours of Kenora’s Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’iyewigamig Health Access Centre (WNHAC), led by physician and NOSM faculty member Dr. Laurel Snyder and Anita Cameron, Executive Director, and the Sunset Country Family Health Team (SCFHT), led by Randy Belair, Executive Director and Heidi Stepanik, Site Administrative Coordinator. Board members heard how the WNHAC works to foster healthy Anishinaabeg and communities through traditional and contemporary health care encompassing mind, body, and spirit, and the SCFHT works to provide excellent accessible and timely care to residents of Kenora and surrounding areas.
In the afternoon, Board members participated in an interactive “World Café” session that encouraged creative brainstorming, and invited input from members into how NOSM can best achieve its Strategic Plan 2015-2020. NOSM’s new Strategic Plan will be publicly launched in the fall. Members were also provided an update on NOSM’s Residency Programs.
In the evening, NOSM Board members enjoyed a dinner with local community members, including several representatives from the health and municipal organizations of Kenora. Sue Berry, Executive Director of Integrated Clinical Learning, was thanked for her outstanding leadership and significant contributions to NOSM. Berry will retire from NOSM in June 2015.
On the second day of the two-day meeting, Board members participated in an interprofessional education session titled “The Healthier North that NOSM Built.” In this session, Board members were asked to identify-through a creative interactive activity-how the application of NOSM’s seven academic principles of interprofessionalism, integration, community orientation, inclusivity, generalism, continuity, and dedication to inquiry are contributing to better health outcomes for people living in Northern Ontario.
Next, Board members heard about how NOSM plans to mark the School’s 10th anniversary. Ten years after officially opening its doors in 2005, NOSM is celebrating by saying, “Thank you, Merci, and Miigwetch” to the communities, partners, donors, faculty, staff, and learners who continue to work together toward the vision of Innovative education and research for a healthier North.
In the final presentation, the Board heard about activities that have recently occurred and that are underway to facilitate Aboriginal community participation in NOSM’s model. During this presentation, the Board was presented with the newly released Walking the Vision report (now available at nosm.ca/reports), which includes the important input and feedback that occurred during the Walking the Vision Aboriginal Community Partnership Workshop last summer when leaders at NOSM travelled to Chapleau Cree First Nation to seek the guidance of more than 100 Aboriginal Peoples from 28 First Nations communities across Northern Ontario.
The Directors received a Financial Report for the 10-month period ending February 28, 2015. In addition, the Board approved the proposed balanced budget of $43.45 million for the fiscal year May 1, 2015 to April 30, 2016, as presented.
The Directors also received NOSM’s newly released 2014 Community Report (now available at nosm.ca/reports), which includes inspiring stories about the people and communities who make NOSM’s innovative model of community-engaged, socially accountable education possible.
The next meeting of the Board of Directors is scheduled to occur on September 23, 2015.
For a complete list of Board members, please visit our website at www.nosm.ca.
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