Last Friday, four Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) medical students received research awards valued at $6,000 each from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario (HSFO). An additional five NOSM medical students received NOSM Dean’s Summer Medical Student Research Awards, also valued at $6,000 each.

This is the fifth year the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario has sponsored Summer Medical Student Research Awards for NOSM medical students. This year brings to a successful conclusion a five-year commitment to NOSM from the Heart and Stroke Foundation valued at nearly $200,000. The HSFO student research projects provide medical students with the opportunity to gain cardiovascular research training while working with an established NOSM researcher. The projects are carried out across Northern Ontario. Similarly, the NOSM Dean’s awards provide medical students with an opportunity to conduct hands-on research on a broad range of biological and social research topics.

“Once again, the Heart and Stroke Foundation is extremely proud to support bright, young minds in Northern Ontario. We hope that, by fuelling their interest in addressing the health issues faced by Northern Ontarians, we are encouraging the next generation of care providers who will create healthier futures for the North,” says Dr. Marco Di Buono, Director of Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.

This year’s student projects, supported by the HSFO, include projects entitled:
• Multidisciplinary Interventions for a Rural Primary Care Setting: Developing patient-centered strategies for improved management of the co-morbidities associated with type II diabetes
• Attitudinal differences and knowledge gaps in interprofessional collaboration and education between health-care professionals and health-care students
• Effects of Polyphenolic Compounds on Oxidative Stress-Induced Cytotoxicity in Rat Cardiac Myocytes
• Regulation of Adrenaline Biosynthesis by Reactive Oxygen Species

The four 2010 recipients of the HSFO Summer Medical Student Research Awards for NOSM are:
• Kathleen Anderson
• Sheila MacIntosh
• Matthew Piché
• William Yates

Immediately following the HSFO presentation, five NOSM medical students were awarded NOSM Dean’s Summer Medical Student Research Awards valued at $6,000 each.

Dr. Greg Ross, NOSM’s Associate Dean of Research, expressed enthusiasm regarding the value of the opportunities provided by NOSM Dean’s Summer Medical Student Research Award. “Research at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine is reflective of the School’s mandate to be socially accountable to the diverse cultures of Northern Ontario,” said Dr. Greg Ross. “NOSM Dean’s Summer Medical Student Research Awards allow our students to remain in the North for the summer and study topics relevant to the people and communities of Northern Ontario while gaining valuable research experience.”

The 2010 recipients of NOSM Dean’s Summer Medical Student Research Awards are:

• Allison Carroll Coutts
• Jeniva Donaleshen
• Rebecca Matthew
• Justin Poling
• Colleen Valente

This year’s student projects, supported by NOSM Dean’s Summer Medical Student Research Awards, include the following topics:

• Research and Innovation Project “Northern Lights”
• Examining differences in mortality and morbidity rates related to chronic disease among Aboriginal and Euro-Canadian people on Manitoulin Island from 1869-1950
• Effect of Pre-natal Glucocorticoid Exposure on Neurobehavioral Outcomes
• Identifying groups at risk for community acquired pneumonia in Northern Ontario
• End of Life and Palliative Care Needs in Northwestern Ontario Aboriginal Reserve Communities

“The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is fortunate to have had the opportunity to partner with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario for the past five years,” said NOSM Dean Dr. Roger Strasser. “These awards provide medical students, our future physicians, with valuable experience in the field of research. I would like to congratulate the students on their awards and wish them success with their research.”

The Heart and Stroke Foundation, a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living and advocacy. 

The Making of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine:

A Case Study in the History of Medical Education

On April 8, 2010, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) held the second 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 Thunder Bay at École secondaire catholique de La Vérendrye . Following welcoming remarks by Manon Després, E.S.C. de La Vérendrye, Angèle Brunelle, Chair, Conceil scolaire du district catholique des Aurores boréales, and Diane Breton, NOSM Francophone Reference Group (FRG) member, 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. Later,Dr. Strasser signed many copies of the book during this well attended event.

NOSM would like to extend a special thank you to l’École secondaire catholique de La Vérendrye, le Conceil scolaire du district catholique des Aurores boréales and the Thunder Bay Francophone community for their continued support.

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.

The final French language book launch of The Making of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and signings will be held 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.

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.