The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) held its annual Board of Directors face-to-face meeting in Sioux Lookout, Ontario from May 12 to May 14, 2011.

Board members participated in several presentations and interactive sessions on the topics of NOSM’s strategic plan, research at the School, and the admissions process to the School’s M.D. program.

NOSM Board members enjoyed a tour of the Meno Ya Win Health Centre, where every year NOSM learners undertake training as part of the School’s distinctive distributed, community-engaged medical education and research model. Tour highlights included members hearing the history and evolution of health services in Sioux Lookout, and viewing the traditional healing and imaging areas of the facility, which opened in October 2010.

At a dinner held on Friday evening, Board members were able to meet several community leaders. Chief Clifford Bull of Lac Seul First Nation welcomed the Board members to Lac Seul’s ancestral homeland. In opening remarks, the Mayor of Sioux Lookout, Dennis Leney, expressed the community’s support of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, noting the important impact NOSM is having on communities across Northern Ontario.

At the formal Board meeting on the final day of the visit, the Directors received reports from Board Committees, including the Finance and Audit, Board Executive, Quality Monitoring, Governance, Nominating, and Advancement Committees. The Directors also received reports from the School’s Aboriginal and Francophone Reference Groups.

The Directors received a Financial Report for the 11-month period ending March 31, 2011 from the Finance and Audit Committee. The Board approved a recommendation from the Finance and Audit Committee that tuition fees for the 2011-2012 academic year be increased by 4%.

In addition, the Board approved the proposed balanced budget of $39.6 million for the fiscal year May 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012, as presented.

The next meeting of the Board of Directors is scheduled for September 14, 2011.

Contact:

news@nosm.ca

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is thrilled to announce qualifying examinations results by the School’s residents, for which all of Northern Ontario should be proud.

The results of the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) Part II qualifying examinations are in: NOSM’s residents completing training this spring ranked first among Canada’s 17 medical schools in overall performance, and achieved a 100 percent pass rate. Residents rated first in the category of legal, ethical and organizational aspects of the practice of medicine, with above-average standing in the categories of patient interaction and data acquisition.

Additionally, NOSM’s Charter Class M.D. graduates who chose residency at the School or went on to pursue residency at other medical schools across Canada did remarkably well as an aggregated group. Ranking fourth nationwide compared to other medical schools, the group of NOSM M.D. graduates from 2009 also achieved a 100 percent pass rate.

These exceptional rankings underscore the high calibre of NOSM residents, the effectiveness of the School’s undergraduate and postgraduate medical education programs, and the high quality of clinical training received from health-care professionals across Northern Ontario.

Dr. Roger Strasser, NOSM Dean, was delighted by the MCC exam results. “Our residents and Charter Class medical students should be exceptionally proud of themselves for their outstanding Medical Council of Canada Part II examination results. The people and communities of Northern Ontario should also take great pride in our learners and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, a medical school committed to Innovative Education and Research for a Healthier North.”

The qualifying examinations administered by the MCC are a requirement of physician certification.

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) today announced that it is undergoing a reshaping of its organizational structure. Guided by the vision of Innovative Education and Research for a Healthier North, the School is modifying its structure in order to move forward, and continue to be an international leader recognized for its distinct model of distributed, community-engaged medical education and research as outlined in the School’s Strategic Plan: 2010-15.

The reshaping of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine will respond to Strategic Plan priorities identified through a full year of collaboration and consultations with NOSM faculty, staff, Board of Directors, and stakeholders across the North.

Five Priorities of Strategic Plan:

Enhancing Education Program
Strengthening Research Initiatives
Developing Learning Environment
Fostering Excellent Faculty Relations
Enhancing Collaboration and Communication with Community Partners

The School is positioning itself and is making the changes necessary to thrive and remain at the forefront of medical education and research in the reality of an economically-challenging environment.

Balanced Budget

Transformations to NOSM’s operations will enable the School to meet its fiscal obligations in an environment of fixed funding and expanding costs. NOSM’s Board of Directors policy requires an annual balanced operations budget. Operational adjustments were necessary to address a structural deficit ($1.5 M plus .5 M in loss of funding from the Ministry of Health) and to ensure the School achieves a balanced budget in 2011/12.

New Organizational Structure

In the new structure, the School’s functions will be represented by five Associate Deans (reduced from nine), who lead portfolios that reflect NOSM’s Strategic Plan priorities. Supported by the Dean’s Office and Administration, the School’s portfolios will include: Faculty Affairs, Undergraduate Medical Education, Postgraduate Medical Education, Research, Community Engagement.

NOSM functions currently represented by the portfolios of Continuing Health Professional Education, Informatics, and Learner Affairs will be redistributed.

Regretfully, this organizational change will result in a School-wide reduction of 24 management and staff positions. No faculty members will be laid off as a result of the reshaping.

“The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is positioning itself to thrive in an environment which is facing significant fiscal pressures and structural funding challenges,” said Dr. Roger Strasser, NOSM Dean. “Undergoing a reorganization that results in the reduction of positions is not an easy situation. I am personally grateful to all individuals who have contributed to the success of NOSM,” he continued.