The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is pleased to announce two new appointments. Jonathan Barrett will serve as Director, Human Resources, and John Shea as Clinical Coordinator, Physician Assistant (PA) Program.

Mr. Barrett, in his capacity as Human Resources Director, will assist in the support, management, and direction of the unit as it relates to administrative functions, the development of hiring practices, and the promotion and retention of skilled talent. Mr. Barrett has held senior positions with the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines & Forestry and the Ontario Public Service. Mr. Barrett’s previous employment experiences demonstrate an understanding of, and sensitivity to, the service needs of the people of Northern Ontario which he has represented during various stages of policy and legislative development. He is also well versed in the demands of a client and labour pool which includes Aboriginal and Francophone populations, and Persons with a Disability.

His notable achievements include the provision of strategic leadership, motivation, and support to a large staff responsible for government services to citizens in 33 Northern Ontario communities. Accompanying these strengths are the leadership qualities he has shown in consultative employee relations, collective agreement administration, labour relations, and workforce planning.

NOSM is also pleased to welcome John Shea to the position of Clinical Coordinator, Physician Assistant (PA) Program. This new position was created in response to the administration, teaching and scholarly demands of the Physician Assistant program, a unique collaboration between NOSM, The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, and the University of Toronto.

Mr. Shea has a portfolio of diverse experiences, which includes being a practicing Physician Assistant in the Canadian Armed Forces. He has held various posts as a Physician Assistant instructor and, more recently, has been involved in the development and implementation of the Canadian Forces Physician Assistant program in Borden, Ontario.

His skills in administration and development are well suited to developing components of the PA program, monitoring student progress, and overseeing clinical experiences of second-year students.

NOSM Dean, Dr. Roger Strasser, acknowledged the significance of the candidates’ participation in the School. “I am pleased to welcome Jonathan Barrett and John Shea to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. The extensive and relevant experience they bring to their respective positions will assist the School in meeting its administrative responsibilities and in providing essential services to NOSM learners,” he said.

The Making of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine: A Case Study in the History of Medical Education 

On March 25, 2010, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) held the first of three book launches announcing the release of the much anticipated French version of The Making of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine: A Case Study in the History of Medical Education. This peer-reviewed collection provides a fascinating and detailed account of the challenges and rewards faced by those who insisted on creating a patient-centered, community-based, and culturally-sensitive learning environment for the physicians of tomorrow.

Several NOSM representatives delivered presentations and later engaged with audience members at this event, held in Sudbury at the Grand Ciel Bleu – Librairie du Nouvel-Ontario. Following welcoming remarks by Daniel Aubin, representative of Grand Ciel Bleu and Dominic Giroux, President of Laurentian University and Vice-Chair of NOSM’s Board of Directors, contributing authors Dr. Roger Strasser, NOSM Dean, and Dr. Geoffrey Tesson provided firsthand accounts of the School’s evolution from a collective dream to a pan-Northern medical education centre. Dr. Gratien Allaire, NOSM Board Member and Board Chair of Grand Ciel Bleu, followed with an appeal for student support and conveyed the importance of telling NOSM’s story to a wider audience. Later, Drs. Strasser and Tesson signed many copies of the book during this well attended event.

Written by twelve contributors, this book describes the development of the School and its significance to the history and evolution of medical education both in Canada and the world. It also tells the story of broad-based participation from the communities and physicians of Northern Ontario, as well as the roles and involvement of the two host institutions, Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario. Northern communities, which have shown a growing appreciation for the complexities involved in meeting all their medical education needs, will find their story in this 200-page account of the development of NOSM.

Written in highly readable language, and targeted to a wider audience, the book introduces the reader to the School’s distinctive medical education model. Each of the book’s three sections clearly delineates critical stages in the School’s growth, beginning with the new thinking behind a pioneering approach to medical education, followed by the content of the new school, and reflections on the lessons drawn from the building process.

Dr. Roger Strasser credited the book for its ability to attract widespread interest and underlined the importance of Francophone participation in the School. “The Northern Ontario School of Medicine seeks to ensure strong Francophone representation in all medical school activities. Our commitment to inclusiveness of and responsiveness to all population groups of Northern Ontario is the foundation upon which we continue to build strong relationships with our Francophone partners.”

NOSM’s efforts to identify with and respond to the needs of Francophones includes the hosting of symposia to address all matters of health care, and the partnering with organizations to heighten the interest of Francophone youth in health-care careers. This year, NOSM, will be holding a Francophone Symposium in Sudbury on April 28-30, 2010, which will address health as a community issue. Details of the Symposium can be found on NOSM’s website at www.nosm.ca.

Additional French language book launches of The Making of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and signings will be held in Thunder Bay on April 8 and in Ottawa on April 21, 2010.

Ten percent of all sales of the French version of The Making of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine will be donated to NOSM’s Francophone Student Bursary Fund.

On Thursday March 25, 2010, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) and Laurentian University hosted an event in which distinguished speaker, Stephen Lewis, on behalf of the Canadian coalition, the Campaign to Control Cancer (C2CC), delivered a presentation on the topic of cancer.

The first of a series of addresses to audiences at six Ontario universities, Mr. Lewis launched The People vs. Cancer Speaking Tour at Laurentian University’s Fraser Auditorium in Sudbury from where he began spreading the word that everyone can participate in the fight against this widespread disease.

Mr. Lewis drew heavily on his extensive international experience, speaking about the transformational role that an engaged public can play in the battle against cancer, and urging Canadian universities and students to bring forward their skills, innovation, creativity and leadership to the campaign to reduce cancer in one generation.

Stephen Lewis’s speaking tour was launched in conjunction with a series of Community Conversations on Cancer. These public forums allow people from all walks of life to organize and host Community Conversations in their own regions with the view to encouraging discussions about cancer and cancer control among community members. A report on the key findings gathered from Community Conversations will be presented to policy makers in 2010.

The Campaign to Control Cancer, which is hosting Mr. Lewis’s speaking tour, is a coalition of more than 70 organizations dedicated to combating the alarming spread of cancer, which is the leading cause of death in Canada. An estimated twenty five percent of Canadians are expected to die from the disease.

Stephen Lewis is Professor in Global Health at McMaster University and is Board Chair of the Stephen Lewis Foundation which supports community-based organizations working to turn the tide of HIV/Aids in Africa.

His work with the United Nations spans more than two decades, including his posting as Canada’s ambassador to the U.N from 1984 to 1988. He previously served as an elected member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and in 1970, became leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party.