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NOSM receives $5 million for Indigenous Health

A group of anonymous donors has gifted $5 million to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) University to create a Circle for Indigenous Health Research and Innovation.

The Circle is meant to support Indigenous-led work in medicine to respond to “longstanding calls for indigenous leadership in health research, policy, and medical education,” according to a release published by NOSM.

NOSM frames the Circle as a way to foment collaboration in research to improve Indigenous health equity.

The Circle plans to host an Indigenous Health Gathering this year to bring together Indigenous leaders, Elders, health-care providers, researchers, and students for knowledge-sharing and establishing priorities.

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A First For NOSM

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The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is officially Canada’s first independent medical university.

The school was first established in 2002 to tackle the ongoing doctor shortage in Northern Ontario.

With more than 780 MD graduates and 692 residents having completed NOSM programs, it is estimated that 300 physicians are still needed in Northern Ontario to meet the immediate demand.

“Health care and health education and research have never been more important,” says Dr. Sarita Verma, President, Vice-Chancellor and Dean of NOSM University. “We all know how complex and fragile the health-care system is across Northern Ontario. NOSM University will transform the system for the North and reach into underserved communities like never before.”

With the Ontario Government’s recent announcement of medical education expansion, NOSM University will increase its medical degree enrolment by 47% and residency positions by 68% over the next five years.

NOSM also vowed to:

  • Define what it means to be an independent medical university in Canada leading the way in fiscal accountability and transparency
  • Advance the national conversation around effective, affordable rural and Northern health care: what it looks like and how to provide it
  • Strengthen existing partnerships and grow new ones, while reaffirming and deepening its commitment to the North
  • Educate more physicians and other health-care providers for the North and help them develop as leaders in their communities while expanding education and training programs to meet societal need
  • Continue advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion, fighting racism, and seeking truth and reconciliation
  • Make scientific discovery a priority, lead collaborative research in the North and look for new partnerships for cutting-edge opportunities in primary care, educational technology and population health
  • Ensure that NOSM University’s next generation of physicians, registered dietitians, physician assistants, medical physicists, and others have access to the finest high-quality fully-accredited educational programs
  • Raise funds to support our learners by providing financial aid through bursaries and scholarships
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NOSM Gets Standalone, Degree-Granting Status

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Northern Ontario School of Medicine, along with the Université de Hearst, have been given standalone degree-granting status.

The move comes from the Minister of Colleges and Universities, Jill Dunlop in an announcement March 4th.

There have been more than 700 medical professionals that have come out of NOSM since 2005 and those students have typically done more than 40 per cent of their training in Indigenous, small rural and larger urban northern Ontario communities.

Students that attend UH do so in exclusively in French as it one of two universities in Ontario that offer full-time degree programs and services exclusively in Canada’s official second language.

With the standalone, degree-granting status both institutions can now have independent governance and administration, which will provide flexibility to expand and offer more programs in across northern Ontario.

Changes to both schools status will be effective starting on April 1, 2022.

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LU Concerned Over NOSM Developments

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There is confusion at Lakehead University over developments with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

The Ford government has introduced legislation to make the school a stand-alone institution with degree-granting powers.

Lakehead University President Moira McPherson notes “We are concerned by today’s news, particularly in light of the absence of any consultation with the University, we are in the process of reviewing this decision and determining its impacts.”

The school of medicine has been part of the university since the 2000s along with Laurentian University in Sudbury.

However, Laurentian has run into major financial problems and has been forced to seek creditor protection, and has just laid off staff and professors.

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Northwest Monitor, December 29/19

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This is the Best of Edition of Northwest Monitor.

On the way below, a look at the new Dean at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, an effort in Thunder Bay to find those responsible for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and TbayTel honours a medical lending device program in Kenora.

First we start in Fort Frances, where there’s a direct effort to combat bullying in schools. Part of that includes showing what happens to many bullies later in life such as incarceration. But, getting to students when they’re young is vital, and helping them to realize they have a role to play.

Randy Thoms explains.

Several organizations have come together this winter to light four Christmas trees in front of the Thunder Bay Police headquarters in memory of those Indigenous residents who have gone missing or were murdered. It started with one police officer who felt the need to do something to assist efforts of bringing to justice those responsible.

Sheri Leviski-Kotyk has the details.

A new Dean is now settled in and classes are in full session at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. It’s a busy time as staff concentrate on day-to-day programming and future needs.

As Mike Ebbeling tells us there’s a lot of exciting ventures on the go at the regional facility and plenty of opportunity for local students and organizations to get involved.

The first prize of $5,000 was awarded to the Borrowing Cupboard in Kenora, from the TBay Tel For Good program. To add to that good news, the group recently found out it doesn’t have to pay the hospital anything going forward to stay there.

Tim Davidson talked to Theresa Bowen about the award and how the medical device lending program got started.

 

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School Of Medicine Receives Praise From Dryden Doctor

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Nothing but praise for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

The admiration is coming from Doctor Francois Doiron, who has just started practicing in Dryden.

His first placement was in Eagle Lake First Nation and he fell in love with the area.

Doiron says the school gave him an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in his first year.

He notes the first year placement speaks volume to the school’s efforts to incorporate rural communities in their education.

Doiron is a graduate of the School of Medicine in Thunder Bay.