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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
Gallery, In the Spotlight

It takes a village

Wasaya Airways and partners support NOSM University students’ second annual menstrual product drive

Ashley Perreault and Lucie Ménard, medical students at NOSM University, have wrapped-up their second annual menstrual product drive—this year for the fly-in community of Kingfisher Lake First Nation. In February 2022, they set a goal to raise $10,000 to cover the costs of the menstrual products, cleaning supplies, and shipping. They reached their goal by May 2022, raising a total of $10,003.21. Funds were raised through their GoFundMe campaign, as well as generous donations from RBC, Dollarama, and NOSM University’s Indigenous Affairs Unit.

“Similar to last year, we relied heavily on social media to help raise awareness for the project,” says Ashley. “It’s always a bit disappointing to learn how many people are oblivious to the high costs and scarcity of menstrual products in Indigenous communities.”

“This year,” she continues, “we also took the opportunity to highlight the partnership made between Shoppers Drug Mart and the Ontario Government to provide free menstrual products to provincially run school boards for the next three years. Unfortunately, this private donation did not extend to federally-run Indigenous school boards which further exacerbates the health inequities these communities face.”

Support for the community was identified by Sam Senecal, Indigenous Community Coordinator, who is responsible for arranging all aspects of learner placements in Indigenous communities in their first year of medical school at NOSM University. The students consulted with Kingfisher Lake’s Health Director to determine which menstrual products would be the most appropriate for the community. The community requested reusable cloth pads, period/incontinence underwear, and single-use tampons. Currently, costs of menstrual products in this community average $10.50 for 16 tampons and $15.00 for 32 tampons—triple the cost of products purchased in urban centers or online.

This year, the students partnered with five padmakers located across Canada: Amie Pads, Cozy Reusables (Cozy Clams), Lady Crimson Cloth Emporium, Soft Taco Reusables and While She Naps Creations who generously donated their time to make reusable cloth pads. The funds raised were used to make 150 menstrual kits—enough for every menstruator in the community. All kits included: five reusable pads; a waterproof wet bag discounted from Colibri Canada; a container of Oxi-All; and instructions on how to wash the pads.

Again this year, Wasaya Airways has generously committed to covering all the shipping costs to deliver the products to the fly-in community. This allowed for additional purchases of: three Diva Cups, 24 packages of feminine wipes, 2132 tampons (918 donated from Bleed the North), 124 single use pads, 60 pantyliners, 66 pairs of period/incontinence underwear, and 25 kits of TruEarth eco strips.

The position of Local Officer of Reproductive and Sexual Health at NOSM University is an elected student position with a one-year term. As they complete two years in this position, Ashley and Lucie hope future students will continue this advocacy initiative and continue raising awareness regarding period poverty.

NOSM University