NOSM to Become First Stand-alone Medical University in Canada

Thursday June 3rd, 2021 Alexandra Poling

On June 3, 2021, the Government of Ontario passed legislation to make the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) a university. With this status, NOSM becomes the first stand-alone medical university in Canada.

“This is a historic occasion for our medical school and all of Northern Ontario,” says Dr. Sarita Verma, Dean, President and CEO of NOSM. “We are grateful to Minister Romano and the Ford Government for this incredible transformation, as the first medical school in Canada founded with a social accountability mandate we are now the first medical university of its kind in the country.”

NOSM was established as a government strategy to address the health needs of the region, improve access to quality care, and contribute to the economic development of Northern Ontario. It was born of a grassroots movement, from communities across Northern Ontario advocating for a solution to regional health inequalities. Becoming a university translates that vision into a reality in the future.

Since opening its doors in 2005, NOSM has produced 714 MDs, 48 self-identify as Indigenous, 151 self-identify as Francophone with an additional 66 MDs set to graduate this spring. In addition, 579 residents have completed NOSM programs. More than half of these health practitioners have stayed in Northern Ontario, with the majority establishing their practice in Sudbury and Thunder Bay.

“The Government is proud to support this legislation to grow world-class postsecondary education in Northern Ontario. Thanks to this legislation, Hearst will become Ontario’s second independent Francophone university, governed by and for Francophones. NOSM will become Canada’s first standalone independent medical school and be empowered to expand its current services and programs and address the health needs of the region. The legislation represents a major opportunity for Northern Ontario to build and expand two new independent universities. In the coming months the Ministry will be working with the two institutions and with northern communities and with stakeholders about the details of how NOSM and Hearst will operate in the future,” says Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities.

NOSM’s latest strategic plan, The NOSM Challenge 2025, will move forward with addressing the urgent crisis in physician workforce and health education and research reform.

“We will build upon the strength of our flagship campuses in Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with an expanded medical school, new residency programs, innovated health professions education, and population-based research within a pan-northern regional model. This is exciting for all of Northern Ontario,” says Dr. Verma. “NOSM University will have an immense impact on the health and wealth of Northern Ontarians.”

NOSM will begin broad consultations about the next steps over the summer months. More information about this will be communicated publicly in the coming weeks.

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About the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM)

NOSM is an award-winning socially accountable medical school renowned for its innovative model of distributed, community-engaged education and research. With a focus on diversity, inclusion, and advocacy for health equity, NOSM relies on the commitment and expertise of the peoples and communities of Northern Ontario to educate health-care professionals to practise in Indigenous, Francophone, rural, remote and underserved communities.

NOSM was established as a separate legal entity ‒ an independent not-for-profit corporation with its own Board of Directors. Its affiliation with Laurentian University and Lakehead University was for the purpose of conferring degrees.
Other than the degree granting authority, all other operational and academic aspects of the medical school are established under NOSM’s authority.
The NOSM MD program is independently accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). NOSM’s accreditation will not change by becoming a university.
All degrees issued under the authority of Lakehead and Laurentian University in the past, will remain in good standing and not be affected.

About NOSM University

Once legislation is proclaimed in force, NOSM University will form a new Board of Governors and new Senate.
NOSM University will continue to receive 90% of its operating funds directly from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Colleges and Universities.
NOSM University will continue to handle the administration of its own staff and faculty, curriculum, labs and equipment, and provide support and graduate its own learners. It will continue to provide its own finance, IT, research, and libraries.
NOSM University will remain deeply committed to its partnerships with Indigenous, Francophone, rural and remote communities that have been critical to NOSM’s mission and success.
NOSM’s partnerships and collaborations with over 500 organizations, 90-plus communities, and more than 1,800 clinical, human and medical sciences faculty dispersed across all of Northern Ontario will continue.
NOSM has recently renewed affiliations with the two Academic Health Science Centres, Health Sciences North in Sudbury and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and partners with Lakehead University, Laurentian University, Health Sciences North, Health Sciences North Research Institute, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute in the Northern Ontario Health Innovation Cluster.
As a University, NOSM will not be leaving Thunder Bay or Sudbury and will build on its collaborative relationships with Laurentian University and Lakehead University.
NOSM will conduct extensive consultations with Northern Ontarians about the vision for NOSM University.
NOSM University will join some of the world’s highest ranked medical schools that are freestanding medical universities and all fully accredited including: Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the University of Vienna, the Mayo, and Kaiser Permanente institutions in the United States.

For further information, please contact:

Joanne Musico
Director, Communications and External Relations
Northern Ontario School of Medicine
Cell: 705-919-1370
Email: jmusico@nosm.ca

Alumni Stories, Gallery, In the Spotlight, Indigenous Stories

Indigenous graduate says inclusiveness and advocacy a strength

Wednesday June 2nd, 2021 Alexandra Poling

Dr. Meghan Beals says NOSM sparked her desire to explore her own Indigeneity. “I definitely overcame a lot of personal learning about my own culture during my four years at NOSM. I grew up off reserve and I didn’t have as much cultural exposure so there was a lot of personal growth and learning about my own Miꞌkmaq culture and the different inequities that Indigenous persons face in health care,” she says.

Meghan says her fondest memories stem from the in-person clinical community placements she experienced during her third year, prior to the pandemic. During those placements she built strong relationships with faculty and fellow classmates—bonds she plans to hold onto. “Our preceptors at NOSM really stand out. The physicians in those smaller communities across Northern Ontario are so receptive to students and so dedicated to teaching students that you honestly feel like a colleague, you don’t feel like a student,” Meghan says. “I think that it is very special and awesome that NOSM has so many dedicated faculty.”

Meghan will begin her residency in Family Medicine in Moncton, New Brunswick—much closer to her home on the East Coast where she worked as a paramedic and then as a respiratory therapist prior to medical school. She says NOSM felt like the right fit to pursue rural medicine. “I wanted to have more autonomy as a health professional and I was particularly drawn to the NOSM MD program because of its social accountability mandate to the rural communities. And being Indigenous, I knew that cultural inclusion and equity is at the forefront of the School’s curriculum, which is very valuable.”

A source of ongoing inspiration is the strong sense of advocacy Meghan felt at NOSM, which she aspires to bring to her career. “Being Indigenous, I want to take on an advocacy role that influences personal health from within communities that are close to me. Creating healthy communities will definitely be a part of my advocacy work in the future as a family physician. Being part of a community and demonstrating how committed you are to a healthy lifestyle, that in and of itself is strong advocacy—by being there for everyone.”

Alumni Stories, Francophone Features, Gallery, In the Spotlight

Cultural diversity and Operation Remote Immunity were highlights of Francophone graduates’ NOSM experience

Wednesday June 2nd, 2021 Alexandra Poling

Dr. Dominique Lachapelle, a Francophone graduate of NOSM’s MD Class of 2021, says lessons in resilience and collaboration will serve her well in future. “Medical school was challenging. It gave me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, learn from community placements, mentors and explore the rich cultural diversity of Northern Ontario,” she says.

This winter Dominique volunteered with Operation Remote Immunity, which she describes as a highlight of her medical school experience. She assisted with the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out in North Spirit Lake, Kashechewan, and Attawapiskat and was able to get credit for an elective for offering pandemic care. “It was really interesting to experience and to be part of such a strong collaborative effort made possible by community leaders in partnership with Ornge. It really was a great honour to be welcomed in these communities and contribute to the remote immunization operation.”

She also speaks fondly of the time she spent in Temagami First Nation located on Bear Island during her first-year of medical school, and of her third-year clinical placement in Temiskaming Shores. “I was inspired by the elderly patients who appreciated the care I helped provide in French. I look forward to future opportunities to deliver culturally safe care in Northern Ontario,” says Dominique. She adds that NOSM provided her with an understanding and learning experiences about the health-care barriers that Francophone patients and families face. Some valuable lessons included learning about French medical terminology and clinical skills. “As a Francophone student, I was very fortunate at NOSM to have strong mentors and Francophone preceptors.”

In July, Dominique will begin her residency in the Family Medicine Rural Stream in her hometown of Temiskaming Shores. She hopes to settle in the community and plans to practice family medicine with a broad spectrum, as well as a focus on health-care for the elderly. In her future practice, Dominique brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will allow her to provide culturally safe, accessible and inclusive care.