The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is pleased to announce the arrival of both Dr. Gerry Cooper to the post of Associate Dean of Learner Affairs and Dr. William McCready to the post of Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs. Both incumbents begin their posts today.

Dr. Cooper succeeds Dr. Tom Szabo, who has been Associate Dean, Admissions and Student Affairs for almost three years. Dr. Cooper will be responsible for the development, administration and delivery of services, programs, policies and procedures which foster academic success for our students and promote a learner-centered environment.

A graduate of the University of Toronto, with a Doctorate in Education, Dr. Cooper has worked for over 30 years in a variety of roles within the mental health and addictions fields. Most recently, he has been based in Sudbury as the Manager (Northern Ontario) with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). As Assistant Professor, Clinical Education with NOSM, Dr. Cooper has been an active teacher in Phase One of the MD program. He is also an Adjunct Professor with the Laurentian University School of Social Work.

Dr. Cooper has produced or co-produced many health and educational resources, including course curricula, videotapes, interactive CD-ROMS and Web pages. Additionally, he helped secure funding for the Northeast Mental Health Public Education Campaign, acting as one of its Regional Steering Committee Co-Chairs. His doctoral thesis from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto won the US National Problem Gambling Council’s 2001 Outstanding Dissertation Award.

In his new position as Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs, Dr. William McCready will be responsible for the recruitment, scheduling and evaluation of faculty members as well as promotion, integration and mentoring of faculty members. He will provide leadership, supervision and representation for the faculty of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in order to ensure the School always has the teaching resources to provide a quality educational experience for the learners while building the capacity and commitment of teaching resources in the North.

Dr. McCready, formerly the Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at NOSM, has been in clinical practice as a nephrologist for 25 years. He participated in the efforts to ensure the Northern Ontario School of Medicine became a true pan-Northern partnership and in the recruitment and hiring of the Founding Dean. Dr. McCready has also enjoyed teaching medical learners in the former Northwestern Ontario Medical Program (NOMP) since 1982.

Dr. McCready graduated in medicine from Queen’s University, Belfast and did postgraduate training in Belfast, Toronto and Saskatoon. He completed a fellowship in peritoneal dialysis under the supervision of Dr. D. Oreopoulos at Toronto Western Hospital.

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome both Dr. Cooper and Dr. McCready to their new roles at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. The depth of experience and understanding of health education and facilitation that each incumbent brings will unquestionably contribute to the quality of learner experiences offered at the School,” says NOSM Founding Dean, Dr. Roger Strasser.

Today, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is pleased to announce the launching of its new external website. Along with an updated look and many other improved features, the website can now be found at www.nosm.ca.

NOSM’s new website features a new, contemporary design with easy navigation and expanded functionality. Some of the many fresh features of www.nosm.ca include: streamlined tabs with fewer layers to the information that you need; updated content and photographs; changeable text size; a way to subscribe to the School’s various publications; quick access to upcoming events in the School’s Health Professional Development Calendar; and, an organization area reflecting the new structure of the School

NOSM’s Founding Dean, Dr. Roger Strasser says the new website is another tool through which the School can work to fulfill its social accountability mandate. “One of the most significant additions to the website is an expanded area devoted to the many communities that have generously supported, and provided resources for, a medical school of, by, and for the people of Northern Ontario,” he said. “Our hope is that, in addition to providing information about NOSM, the new features and functions of the website will further enhance communications with and between the School’s many pan-Northern stakeholders.”

Kim Daynard, NOSM’s Director of Communications, is pleased to see the efforts of many come to fruition with the launch of www.nosm.ca. “The development of the website was a truly was a collaborative undertaking,” she said. “The new site is easier to use, more pleasing to interact with, and better able to serve the various communities engaged with the School in large part because of the valuable input received by both internal and external sources during its development.”

The new website also contains information regarding two important upcoming conferences at the School. The first, the Northern Health Research Conference (NHRC), is a conference exploring the research activities within Northern Ontario arising from community-based activities. The second, the International Conference on Community Engaged Medical Education in the North (ICEMEN), is a five-day conference showing the importance of fostering relationships among medical schools across the globe in an effort to share knowledge and best practices as part of a worldwide network. Both are featured on the website’s homepage.

Students of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) will soon be living and learning in the community of Kapuskasing. In September of this year, Kapuskasing will welcome four third-year medical students who will begin their Comprehensive Community Clerkship at Sensenbrenner Hospital. An affiliation agreement between NOSM and Sensenbrenner will be signed, solidifying a partnership between the two institutions and allowing NOSM students to gain valuable hands-on practical experience in the community.

”Sensenbrenner Hospital is proud to be a part of a true community-based medical school,” said Mr. Al Yarush, Sensenbrenner Hospital’s CEO. “Integrating students in communities such as Kapuskasing is key to the development of physicians who understand and appreciate medical practice in Northern communities,” he continued.

Under the leadership of Lead Physician and Site Liaison Clinician, Dr. Christopher Meilleur, the professional staff of Sensenbrenner Hospital will provide comprehensive, patient-centred training, allowing the students to observe, learn and participate in the care of patients in a Northern environment. During their eight months in Kapuskasing, students will be taught by local physicians and other health-care providers who are NOSM faculty members.

In preparation for the students’ arrival, a Kapuskasing Local NOSM Group comprised of local physicians and other community members will be developed. The group will act as an important link between the town and the students, facilitating a smooth integration into the community through orientation, relevant information and introductions to other community members.

Dr. Roger Strasser, NOSM Founding Dean, says the people and communities of the North are integral to the success of the Comprehensive Community Clerkships. “The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is committed to building partnerships with the communities and health organizations of Northern Ontario. Sensenbrenner Hospital, local physicians, other health-care providers, and community members are welcomed partners,” he said.

With the addition of Kapuskasing, eleven communities throughout Northern Ontario will host medical students in September 2008. All 56 students in their third year will participate in the Comprehensive Community Clerkships.