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Addressing the Gaps, Community Stories, In the Spotlight

Great things happen when good people come together

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A reflection on community learning experiences in Marathon 

All of us can make contributions to communities, no matter where we are. Medical professionals and medical learners often have skills, interests, ideas, and energy to contribute to community life beyond what they offer in health care.

This summer, Logan Brennan, fourth-year NOSM University medical student, spent two weeks on a rural generalist elective in Marathon. Coincidentally, one of the high school volleyball coaches was hosting a volleyball camp in preparation for the coming season.

Logan—who has played at the varsity level and was a member of the Canadian National men’s volleyball team—offered to support the local team development in the evenings while he was on placement.

Coach Ray Lake, in an email after Logan’s elective, noted “What has astounded me is how well Logan can communicate how to do skills through words. I’ve seen growth in the players after three days that I have not produced in three years. It is a real gift for these kids to have someone of Logan’s calibre work with them.”

Dr. Sarah Newbery, Associate Dean of Physician Workforce Strategy at NOSM University, has been impressed over many years with the terrific ways that medical students contribute to community life. “As medical students learn in communities, there are opportunities to which we, as community preceptors, can invite their participation—whether in sport, music, or local events,” she says. “The sharing of skills, and gifts of time and energy impact people and communities in such positive ways.”

Logan reflecting on his experiences noted that rural medicine is all about community. “Health care and education are the backbone of a community,” he says. “Without stability, structure and opportunity in these key pillars, it is difficult to foster and grow community. Marathon is blessed to have exceptional community members who have demonstrated and taught me what rural medicine and community are all about.”

“On the first day of camp, I told the athletes that defence is 90% effort and 10% skill,” says Logan. “In some ways, rural medicine is similar. You may not be the most specialized or skilled, but if you show up every day with a purpose and the goal to be your best for your community, good things happen.”

“My goal for the athletes—and the physicians’ goal for me during my elective—was to demonstrate that great things happen in small places when good people come together to form a community.

“The best things around that I have ever seen, came from small towns and big dreams”
– Paul Brandt

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn, coach and explore Marathon this summer. It is a wonderful community with exceptional opportunities and potential,” says Logan.

Long-time Marathon physician and NOSM University Professor, Dr. Eliseo Orrantia, reflected on his gratitude for hosting learners in the community. “Formally, they are here to learn from us, but we also learn and grow through them. That bidirectional learning is essential in the formation, development and importantly the maintenance of rural generalist skills and how we respond to the needs of the community together.”

Have a story to share about the impact of NOSM University students in your community? Let us know at communications@nosm.ca.

Northern Routes

Leading with compassion and giving thanks

October is the month when many Canadians give thanks, often for food, family and good health around a shared table. I hope every one of you had the good fortune to enjoy all of that and more. This year, I give my thanks to everyone in the NOSM University community—learners, staff, faculty, community partners and beyond. Together, we are making history, and we are doing so with integrity.

Integrity is nothing if not in the doing. It’s the ongoing tally of what we do: support, advocate, work. But it’s also a state of mind: what we weigh, consider and feel. It’s action after action that demonstrates our character and moral rectitude. That’s what counts. At NOSM University, integrity is the foundation of everything we do. And it’s paying off.

I know this because others are seeing in NOSM University what I have seen all along. As you may have heard by now, the FDC Foundation has entrusted us with a $10 million gift toward our burgeoning Student Endowment Fund. This generous donation is utterly transformational—because it is a matching gift, each dollar will eventually have its twin, and NOSM University will ultimately have $20 million dollars for which to be thankful. I cannot overstate the impact, or say thank you enough. With this gift, we are on our way to a Student Endowment Fund of such significance that it will support undergraduate medical learners in financial need for as long as we are standing.

This is a vote of confidence from the FDC Foundation, a signal that our work is seen and valued by people who are aligned with our values. Like John F. Kennedy said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” That’s the integrity piece; to show the FDC Foundation that we are truly grateful, we will keep pushing forward, and live by our word.

The goal is to start with $50 million for the NOSM University Student Endowment Fund, so we make an impact in our students’ lives. By covering as much of the undergraduate medical tuition as we can, it will help even the playing field for Northern students. It will also incentivize those same students to follow their passion for health care at NOSM University, and then perhaps, to follow their hearts back home to practise. That’s part of our plan for how we’re going to help deliver health care to the thousands of people in Northern Ontario who continue to wait for a family doctor. As always, we will recruit from the North, for the North, and try to ease the financial burden in order to make it easier for our new doctors to stay.

As we prepare to add another 30 MD positions and 41 residency spots over the next five years, building a robust Student Endowment Fund is all the more urgent. Our medical programs are growing, as is our need to ensure access to medical education to people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. We hope that this generous matching gift will spur like-minded visionaries and philanthropists to champion NOSM University.

In the meantime, we will keep to our word and stick to the plan. We will continue to transform health human resource planning, advance social accountability, innovate health professions education and strengthen research capacity in Northern Ontario. But above all, we will lead with compassion, and give thanks where so much of it is due.

If you have any feedback or comments, please reach out at president@nosm.ca and follow me on Twitter @ddsv3.

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President’s Report

My President’s Report, launched earlier this month with the theme of Integrity, focuses on our commitment to equity, diversity and to leadership. NOSM University is a trailblazer in this space. Learn more about how the Equity and Inclusion portfolio was created to address some very serious and pervasive health-care injustices; learn more about collaborative specializations at NOSM University;watch as four future MD graduates explain what drew them to the Indigenous Peoples’ Health and Wellness Collaborative Specialization; and, how our work towards reconciliation continues.

 

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

NOSM University recently hosted two events acknowledging National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On September 12, Dr. Joseph LeBlanc provided an update on NOSM University’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). On September 30, we heard truths and reflected on the legacy of residential schools. The recording is available for viewing on NOSM University’s YouTube channel. Orange Shirts can still be purchased. Donations can be made in support of the Truth Award for an Indigenous medical student at NOSM University or to the Indigenous Educational Initiatives fund.

Join us at an upcoming reception

International Conference on Residency Education 2022 

Join Dr. Sarita Verma and co-host Dr. Rob Anderson in Montréal on Friday, October 28 between 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

RSVP

Family Medicine Forum 2022 

Join Dr. Sarita Verma and co-hosts Drs. Cathy Cervin and Barb Zelek in Toronto on Thursday, November 10 between 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

RSVP

 

MD program expands from 69 to 74 this year

Five very fortunate people received the best news at the end of August. NOSM University was able to offer five additional spots in the MD program this fall. With our original 64 spots, plus five Military Medical Training Program (MMTP) and these additional five MD seats, the pool of future physicians has expanded by an amazing number. Over the next few years, we are hoping to reach close to 100 medical students per year. Congratulations to all our incoming learners! I had the chance to meet many of them at a Meet and Greet on September 13. It was awesome to connect with our learners.

Family medicine residency program expansion

We have advanced our expansion for the residency program as well. Thanks to the Government of Ontario, we are adding five spots in the family medicine third-year enhanced skills program. These additional residency positions will address health-care needs in emergency medicine, family practice anesthesia, care of the elderly, addiction medicine and sport and exercise medicine. Join us in congratulating the program directors and the residency program staff for undertaking this expansion so quickly.

Save the date: New Board of Governors and inaugural Chancellor announcement

On Thursday, November 24, 2022 we will celebrate the unveiling of NOSM University’s inaugural Chancellor and Board of Governors. Please stay tuned for details.

Homepage News, Media Releases, News

FDC Foundation makes historic $10 million gift to support NOSM University students

Transformational gift gives rise to $50 Million Student Endowment Fund initiative 

Canada’s first independent medical university is driving forward a bold, transformative plan that will change the future of health care in Northern Ontario—and it has a visionary partner to thank.Mississauga based FDC Foundation will change the lives of NOSM University learners, while challenging like-minded philanthropists to do the same. Dollar for dollar, every gift made to NOSM University for student financial aid will be matched up to $10 million. The family foundation supports health care and education and is dramatically strengthening the impact of NOSM University’s philanthropic efforts, which leads to more doctors in the North and better access to health care close to home for the 800,000 people who live in the region.

“We are hoping this gift will ignite support from other donors to alleviate student debt and encourage more students to pursue careers as future health-care professionals in Northern Ontario,” says the FDC Foundation.

“We know that our MD students carry nearly double the debt load of other medical school graduates across the country,” says Dr. Sarita Verma, President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean and CEO of NOSM University. “Our primary goal is to help students access careers and education regardless of socio-economic status.”

“Through the generosity of the FDC Foundation, we’re on our way to building our first 50-million-dollar endowment,” Dr. Verma continues. “With their initial contribution NOSM University will be raising funds to double their impact, seeking an additional match of another $10 million. That means up to $20 million could be immediately invested in the Student Endowment Fund to start paying dividends for our MD students. That’s transformative.”

Northern Ontario is currently short more than 350 physicians, and that number does not reflect anticipated retirements. The health human resource crisis is underway and NOSM University is one solution to this issue.

“Alleviating our student debt burden is our best shot at recruiting the most diverse and motivated future physicians for Northern Ontario. At NOSM University, integrity is the foundation of everything we do. Social accountability is in our DNA; equity, diversity and inclusion have been our aim. Raising funds for our students is proof of our commitment to social justice,” says Dr. Verma.

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 suggest that about 340,000 people have been helped by a graduate.

Now that NOSM University has the green light from the province to add another 30 medical degrees and 41 residency spots over the next five years, building a robust Student Endowment Fund is all the more urgent.

“This is an all-hands-on-deck issue. Everyone has to get involved and every penny counts,” says Dr. Verma. “The future of Northern health care is going to depend on this initiative.”

Read The NOSM Challenge 2025 to learn more about NOSM University’s strategy for bringing health—and wealth—to Northern Ontario.

Pictured are representatives from the FDC Foundation with Dr. Sarita Verma, President, Vice Chancellor, Dean and CEO NOSM University, and fourth-year MD students.

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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. NOSM University connects researchers, learners, teams and their findings to research entities, provincial health teams, research institutes, academic health sciences centres and health-care organizations. The university strengthens research capacity in Northern Ontario, improving performance and measurable outcomes in health services, quality health care, health and biomedical research and knowledge translation.
For further information, please contact: communications@nosm.ca

NOSM University