Francophone Health From Service Learning to Research: A Global to Regional Perspective

On October 10, 2012, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) will host its 4th NOSM Francophone Symposium as part of the Rendez-Vous 2012 International Conference in Thunder Bay, Ontario. This one-day symposium convenes stakeholders and conference registrants with an interest in Francophone Health.

Participants will examine current best practices and resulting impact of service, education, and research on the health status of Francophones in Northern Ontario and around the world.
Throughout this interactive day, conference participants will have the opportunity to engage in group work, individual conversations, and small group discussions. Participants have the opportunity to:

1. Discuss and identify elements and successful strategies to integrate community within the medical education framework in an effort to assist medical schools meet their social accountability mandate;

2. Identify mechanisms for the priorities oflinguistic and cultural minorities being connected to a medical school’s social accountability;

3. Discuss and identify the elements of collaboration between Francophone community partners and medical schools in the provision of opportunities for service learning;

4. Discuss how culture and language impact a population’s health status; and,

5. Identify partnership strategies from a regional, national, and international perspective for integrating health-care services and delivery within the context of the Francophone global community.

The symposium’s moderator is M. François Boileau, Ontario’s French Language Services Commissioner and will feature presentations from well known medical educators and professionals such as Dr. Charles Boelen, Dr. André-Jacques Neusy, Dr. Paul Grand’Maison, Dr. Aurel Schofield, Andrée Robichaud, and France Jodoin.

For more information, or to register for NOSM’s 4th Francophone Symposium, please contact Lianne Baron, Administrative Assistant, Francophone Affairs at lbaron@nosm.ca or by telephone at 807-766-7507.

Participants should note that all presentations will be in French, with simultaneous interpretation to English available.

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is pleased to announce the educational program leading to the MD degree has received full accreditation for the maximum allotted time of eight years.

This outcome, made official to NOSM last week, arrives after a rigorous review process that included site visits by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) to NOSM’s two campuses at Lakehead University (Thunder Bay) and Laurentian University (Sudbury), and one of NOSM’s teaching sites (Kapuskasing) in March.

The accreditation process reviews all levels of a medical education program. It determines whether or not there is an appropriate balance between student enrollment and the total resources of the institution, including faculty, physical facilities, and the operating budget.

“This is a significant achievement for not only a newer medical school, but even amongst some of Canada’s oldest medical schools,” explained NOSM Dean, Dr. Roger Strasser. “To receive full accreditation for the maximum allotted time is a testament to the exemplary work performed by all staff, faculty, and learners at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.”

The findings included in the CACMS/LCME report highlight NOSM’s continued success in refining its unique and innovative approach to medical education. The survey team commented that the student body at NOSM not only promotes, but also embraces the School’s mandate to be socially accountable to the cultural diversity of the populations that it serves. The report also indicated that each of the sites visited, including Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Kapuskasing, provide teaching facilities and student spaces that are exceptional for learning.

“The accreditation process has been a significant undertaking for many staff and faculty members at NOSM. With my deepest appreciation, I congratulate everyone involved for their tireless efforts,” said Dr. Lisa Graves, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education.

NOSM’s next full survey is scheduled to take place during the 2019-2020 academic year.

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) has awarded eight medical students with NOSM Dean’s Summer Medical Student Research Awards, valued at $6,000 each. This is the seventh year that NOSM has awarded Summer Medical Student Awards to qualifying MD students.

“At the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, we encourage our medical students to undertake as many learning opportunities as possible, and one of these opportunities is the ability to undertake research projects that are directly relevant to the health issues impacting people across Northern Ontario,” explained Dr. David Marsh, NOSM’s Associate Dean, Community Engagement. “I am delighted to congratulate the recipients of the Dean’s Summer Medical Students Research Awards, and wish them success in their summer research projects.”

The following research projects, carried out across Northern Ontario, provide medical students with the opportunity to conduct hands-on research on a broad range of biological and social research topics while working with an established NOSM researcher.

•Award recipient Patrick Legault’s project, entitled Influence on Neuropsychological, Biological and Social Outcome Indicators in Prescription Opiate Addiction: Suboxone vs. Methadone, supervised by Drs. Ralph Dell’Aquila and Sandra Stewart.

•Supervised by Drs. Malvinder Parmar and Emmanuel Abara, award recipient Derek Bos’ project is entitled, Assessing the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Patterns of Health Care Providers in Northern Ontario, in Prevention of Recurrent Kidney Stones.

•The research project, Comparison of Standard and Limited Open Palmar Incision Carpal Tunnel Release Techniques, will be studied by award recipient Michael Thibert under the supervision of Dr. Mark Thibert.

•Award recipient David Savage’s project, titled Developing Seasonal Physician Shift Schedules in the Emergency Department to Meet Patient Demand and Potentially Reduce Length of Stay, will be supervised Bruce Weaver.

•Supervised by Dr. Marion Maar, Martha DiGiuseppe’s project titled, A Pilot Study of the Lived Experience of Patients With Back Pain Receiving “Endoskopia,” Conservative Spinal Therapy Treatment at the Alfen Spinal Clinic in Wurzburg, Germany.

•Award recipient Christy McKinnon’s project, Assessment of Modifiable Preoperative Risk Factors in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Patients in Northwestern Ontario, is supervised by Dr. David Puskas.

•Supervised by Dr. Geoffrey Hudson, award recipient Jesse Gordon’s project is titled Nursing Before Nightingale in Eighteenth-Century England.

•Award recipient Valerie Nicholls’ project, titled Historical Perspectives on Organ Donation and Transplant and the Current Issues Regarding Donation and Transplant in Northern Ontario, is supervised by Dr. Geoffrey Hudson.

Unique this year is a contribution from the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s (HSF) of $5,000 towards a summer research project. Recipient of the HSF research award is Calen Sacevich with the project entitled, Automatic Electronic Defibrillators in Pre-hospital Rural and Remote Settings: What effect does prolonged transport time to hospital have on survival? Sacevich’s project will be supervised by Dr. Aaron Orkin.

“Providing an opportunity for medical students to conduct research projects throughout Northern Ontario encourages our learners to continue research throughout their professional careers,” explained Dr. Greg Ross, NOSM’s Associate Dean of Research. “Each year it is exciting to see questions composed by our learners, and oversee research projects that support the School’s vision for Innovative Education and Research for a Healthier North.”

Future Physician Gains Valuable Research and Clinical Experience
Gaining experience and research knowledge about mental health and substance abuse in Northern Ontario is a priority for Patrick Legault. As one of Northern Ontario’s future physicians, he believes it will help his future self be more aware of the effects of mental health and substance abuse on overall health.

Narcotics and prescription medications such as oxycodone are becoming increasingly available and individuals are now abusing medications which were only intended to help society. The treatment of opiate drug dependence is done by replacement therapy with various drugs notably methadone.

“From my limited knowledge on the subject area, the research being done by Dr. Dell’Aquila and Dr. Stewart seems very interesting and would enable me to gain a better understanding of substance abuse and its treatment,” explained Legault. “I would also gain valuable clinical experience in addictions medicine and get to speak with patients and gain perspective.”

Legault looks forward to working on his summer research project with the aspiration that he will be a better advocate for his future patients.