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NOSM University receives $150,000 gift from The Masonic Foundation of Ontario

Donation supporting MD students will be matched by FDC Foundation

The Masonic Foundation of Ontario has donated $150,000 towards awards and bursaries for NOSM University students. This is the largest single contribution by Masons to NOSM University.

Both The Masonic Foundation of Ontario and district Mason groups throughout the North have been consistent donors to NOSM University since 2007.

The gift will be matched by the FDC Foundation, creating a $300,000 endowment for undergraduate medical students.

“This gift will advance education and benefit the community, two of the Masons’ priorities,” said Brian Koivu, President of The Masonic Foundation of Ontario. “We wish you great success in your efforts as the University prepares young people who will make significant contributions to our society.”

“We are thankful to The Masonic Foundation of Ontario for their continued support to NOSM University,” says Dr. Sarita Verma, President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean, and CEO of NOSM University. “Backing our students is an important commitment to the health of our communities.”

Since 2005, NOSM University has been delivering on its mandate. It has graduated 838 MDs, 65 of whom are Indigenous, and 171 of whom are Francophone. More than half of NOSM graduates have stayed in Northern Ontario. NOSM University estimates that approximately 400,000 people have been helped so far by a graduate.

NOSM University has embarked upon a mission to raise the first $50 million for its Student Endowment Fund. Read more about that effort here.

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NOSM University is Canada’s first independent medical university and one of the greatest education and physician workforce strategy success stories of Northern Ontario. More than just a medical university, it was purpose-built to address the health needs of the region. While advocating for equitable access to care, the university contributes to the economic development of Northern Ontario. NOSM University relies on the commitment and expertise of the peoples of Northern Ontario to educate health-care professionals to practise in Indigenous, Francophone, rural, remote, and underserved communities. With a focus on diversity, inclusion, and advocacy, NOSM University is an award-winning, socially accountable organization renowned for its innovative model of distributed, community-engaged education and research.

For further information, please contact: news@nosm.ca

In the Spotlight

Pediatrician Dr. Tara Baron to Lead NOSM University’s Continuing Education and Professional Development

From among its ranks, NOSM University has found its new Associate Dean of Continuing Education and Professional Development.

Dr. Tara Baron is a general consulting pediatrician in Sudbury. She has been involved with NOSM University since its inception and is currently Pediatric Program Director and the Sudbury campus lead for the pediatric clerkship.

An award-winning physician, Dr. Baron has been recognized for her innovation and her excellence in supporting medical learners. She has won both faculty- and student-nominated awards for teaching excellence and was the recipient of a 2022 Competence by Design Innovator Award from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“Dr. Baron stands out due to her passion for medical education and her experience designing curriculum that is both innovative and impactful,” says Dr. Céline Larivière, Provost and Vice President Academic of NOSM University. “We are thrilled to have such a remarkable educator in this role and look forward to Dr. Baron’s contributions.”

Dr. Baron will lead NOSM University’s efforts to support, develop, and deliver clinical medical education and scholarly activities to assist faculty in becoming more effective clinicians, teachers, preceptors, scholars, and educational leaders. Her five-year, renewable term will begin on July 1, 2023.

“NOSM University fosters an environment where collaboration is central, and faculty and students alike are continuously learning. I look forward to the new challenges of supporting our faculty in training our future leaders,” says Dr. Baron.

“After an extensive search, our recruitment committee concluded that the most exceptional candidate was already among us,” says Dr. Sarita Verma, President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean, and CEO of NOSM University. “I am so excited to welcome Dr. Baron to this new role.”

“I would like to thank outgoing Associate Dean Dr. James Goertzen for his dedicated service and incredible contributions to this work and wish him the best in retirement.”

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NOSM University Celebrates Inaugural Convocation

Canada’s first independent medical university celebrates a historic milestone on Friday, May 26, 2023, when it graduates its first class since being proclaimed NOSM University. With its new status, NOSM University became empowered to grant degrees that in the past came under the auspices of Lakehead and Laurentian Universities.“Our new graduates bring a great deal of pride to our institution,” says Dr. Sarita Verma, President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean, and CEO of NOSM University. “They bring knowledge, compassion, and a dedication to health equity, and they are now ready to help others live in good health and with dignity. I am honoured to welcome them to the profession.”

To add to this momentous day, renowned Indigenous child rights activist Dr. Cindy Blackstock is installed as NOSM University’s inaugural Chancellor. “Her tenacious, inspirational leadership and steadfast moral courage set the tone for us as Canada’s first independent medical university, and the only such institution in the country established with an explicit social accountability mandate,” says Dr. Verma.

Sixty-four newly-minted MDs will walk the stage at graduation, including eight Indigenous MDs and eight Francophone MDs. These newest alumni will bring the total number of NOSM University’s MD graduates to 902, of whom 73 are Indigenous and 179 are Francophone.

NOSM University is steadily contributing to the physician workforce supply in Northern, rural, and remote communities. With its upcoming expansion, NOSM University continues to provide answers to solving health care shortages in our region.

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NOSM University is Canada’s first independent medical university and one of the greatest education and physician workforce strategy success stories of Northern Ontario. More than just a medical university, it was purpose-built to address the health needs of the region. While advocating for equitable access to care, the university contributes to the economic development of Northern Ontario. NOSM University relies on the commitment and expertise of the peoples of Northern Ontario to educate health-care professionals to practise in Indigenous, Francophone, rural, remote and underserved communities. With a focus on diversity, inclusion and advocacy, NOSM University is an award-winning, socially accountable organization renowned for its innovative model of distributed, community-engaged education and research. 

For further information, please contact: news@nosm.ca

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