The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) has received notice from the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) that the School has successfully filled all spots in the first year of the Family Medicine
Residents of the Canadian Shield (RoCS) program for the first time since the program began in 2006.

Orthopedic Surgery, General Surgery and the newest program, Anesthesiology also filled all their positions in the first round of CaRMS.

Overall, NOSM has filled more than 80% of the positions in its nine residency programs. NOSM offers residency training in nine major general specialties in addition to the Family Medicine program. These include: Public Health and Preventive Medicine, General Surgery, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery, Psychiatry, Obstetrics/Gynecology, and Anesthesiology. The remaining positions will be filled with well qualified applicants in the second round of CaRMS.

“These match results demonstrate that NOSM’s residency programs are attracting the attention of medical students from across the country who see great value in working, living, and learning in Northern Ontario explains Dr. Catherine Cervin, Associate Dean of Postgraduate Education. Fully matching the Family Medicine Residents of the Canadian Shield program in the first round of the Canadian Resident Matching Service is an important achievement for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.”

NOSM Medical Students Achieve Successful CaRMS Match

Fourth-year NOSM medical students were also successful this year in matching to residency programs at NOSM and across the country. Nearly 50% of this year’s graduating class has chosen to complete training in residency programs offered by NOSM. Sixty-five percent have matched to family medicine (predominantly rural medicine) residency programs, while others have matched to general specialties, including internal medicine, general surgery, and pediatrics. Six percent of NOSM’s 2013 graduating MDs has been matched to subspecialties, specifically to dermatology and ophthalmology. Ninety-eight percent of this class matched to the programs of their choice in the first round.

“Each year the results of the Canadian Resident Matching Service have shown how our medical students are highly sought after by medical residency programs across the country,” explains Dr. Roger Strasser, NOSM’s Dean. “This year we are thrilled to see that our residency programs are also becoming highly sought after by, not only by medical students who have studied with NOSM for four years, but also by medical students from other medical schools across the country.”

Background information about the CaRMS Process:

In the final year of medical school, each student must apply for residency training to become a fully-trained physician. Postgraduate residency programs are offered at all Canadian medical schools in various disciplines (for example, family medicine, anesthesia, dermatology, orthopedic surgery, etcetera) ranging in duration from two to five years, or more. Acceptance to a residency program involves students applying to medical school in a discipline of their choice. Students are then invited to participate in an interview with the school. After the interview process, both the student and the program they have applied to rank each other for preference through CaRMS. CaRMS then matches students, based on rankings, to postgraduate residency programs across Canada. The first round of CaRMS is open to Canadian Medical Graduates with no prior residency training. In addition there are designated positions for International Medical Graduates (IMGs). After the first round – all remaining vacant positions (294 across the country this year) are open to all IMGs and Canadian graduates with prior residency training.

From January 21-26, 2013, the Essar Steel Algoma Bring a Doctor Home Hockey Tournament took place at the John Rhodes Arena in Sault Ste. Marie. Every year, volunteer players raise funds for the Bring a Doctor Home Student Bursary, which provides financial support to eligible medical students with ties to the community of Sault Ste. Marie and area studying at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM).

At a volunteer recognition event on January 24, Tournament Director, Hal Mogg, and NOSM’s Advancement Manager Gail Brescia unveiled hockey “banners” or pennants featuring the annual fundraising successes and the growing support of the Bring a Doctor Home Hockey Tournament since 2006. Mogg then presented Dr. David Marsh, NOSM’s Associate Dean of Community Engagement and Senior Associate Dean at NOSM’s East Campus, with a cheque for $24,241. This brings the total raised by the tournament to $121,713, and with the Ontario Trust for Student Support (OTSS), the value of this endowed bursary is $210,650.

“For many, this tournament is more than playing a bit of hockey,” explained tournament Financial Director and Treasurer, Brent Lamming. “We have the opportunity to showcase our community and encourage our youth to choose medicine as a future career.”

“The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is humbled by the tremendous amount of support shown to our medical students by the organizers and participants of the Essar Steel Algoma Bring a Doctor Home Hockey Tournament,” said Dr. David Marsh. “On behalf of NOSM, I extend a congratulations to all involved on a banner year of raising funds for the Bring a Doctor Home Student Bursary, and for their commitment to supporting learners from the North who wish to pursue medical education in the North.”

Each year the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) honours members of the College who demonstrate outstanding achievement. Candidates for the CPSO’s Council Award are nominated for demonstrating excellence in the categories of: Medical Expert/Clinical Decision Maker; Communicator; Collaborator; Gatekeeper/Resource Manager; Health Advocate; Learner; Scientist/Scholar; and, Person and Professional.

Recently, the CPSO released the names of the 2013 recipients of the Council Award. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is thrilled to announce that two out of the four recipients this year are NOSM faculty members. It is with great pleasure that NOSM congratulates Drs. Yvon Gagnon and Paul Mulzer on their outstanding achievement.

Since the School’s opening in 2005, several of NOSM’s dedicated faculty members have been presented with the Council Award, which honours “Outstanding Ontario Physicians.” Past recipients include:

Dr. Mark Dahmer
Dr. George Freundlich
Dr. Robert Hamilton
Dr. William McCready
Dr. Shelagh McRae
Dr. David Marsh
Dr. Malvinda Parmar
Dr. Janice Willett
Dr. Diane Zielke

“It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Drs. Yvon Gagnon and Paul Mulzer as this year’s College of Physicians and Surgeons Council Award recipients.” expressed Dr. William McCready, Acting Dean of NOSM and Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs at NOSM. “It is exciting to see faculty members at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine recognized for excellence by the College. These faculty members are part of a vast network of Northern educators and mentors of an entire future of health-care providers,” he said.