The Southern Medical Program relies on community members to help support the education and training of our students. Meet Matt Scaife, one of our Volunteer Patients that helps with clinical skills sessions at the Clinical Academic Campus at Kelowna General Hospital.

Name: Matt Scaife

Occupation: Retired Mortgage Broker

How long have you been a Volunteer Patient? 7 years.

Why did you decide to volunteer? As a liver transplant recipient, I’ve been very well looked after by all the involved medical professionals. Because of that I wanted to be a help in any way I could. Being available to share my story or be a body they can practice procedures on when ever needed.

What do you enjoy most about being a Volunteer Patient? My favorite part is when the students figure out something new and I can see the light turn on. Plus it’s a pleasure to meet and interact with our future medical professionals.

What is the most interesting thing you have learned?
I am always stunned by how much knowledge the students acquired so quickly into their training.

To learn more about how to get involved, visit https://smp.med.ubc.ca/community-engagement.

A new pilot project with the Faculty of Medicine Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management (CCDPM), Interior Health, and the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation brings together healthcare professionals within Interior Health, UBC researchers, and private donors to foster new research and quality improvement (QI) solutions.

Virtual reality (VR) has recently emerged as an innovative and cost-effective therapy option for stroke patients recovering in hospital. While research shows VR can help improve physical and functional recovery, there is limited research on its effects on mood and patient activity levels.

Through support from the KGH Foundation, a VR unit was acquired for the rehabilitation unit at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH).  The use of this VR technology piqued the interest of rehabilitation staff, but they needed assistance to conduct a thorough research investigation.

“Depressive symptoms and lack of activity are common issues after stroke, especially during in-patient rehabilitation,” says Megan Helgason, Health Services Director, Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Women and Children’s Services at KGH. “We want to address these issues and examine the potential benefits of virtual reality for our patients.”

The research idea fit perfectly with the CCDPM’s new Clinical Research and QI Incubator program. Interior Health staff reached out to UBC researchers and graduate students to complete a needs assessment, literature review, and ultimately developed a research study to explore the potential use of VR therapy for stroke patients at KGH.

“If we can improve the mood of stroke patients during their treatment in hospital, it may offer additional benefits to their recovery and lead to better clinical outcomes,” says Dr. Brodie Sakakibara, CCDPM Assistant Professor.

Over the next year, researchers and IH staff will examine the effects of a VR gaming program on mood and activity levels. Patients will participate in a range of interactive games including relaxation, leisure, and adventure programming that simulate real-life scenarios and tasks.

“These types of small ideas or questions have the potential to turn into research projects that can offer tremendous benefits for patients and healthcare delivery,” says Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, CCDPM Director. “We welcome opportunities to work with Interior Health to help accelerate research and QI projects in the region.”

“From a patient quality perspective, this has been an ideal partnership,” says Dr. Devin Harris, Interior Health Executive Medical Director, Quality and Patient Safety. “Interior Health clinicians and staff wanted to evaluate the impact of the VR unit on patient-centered outcomes, and CCDPM provided the research leadership. Our patients and families will benefit from the incredibly positive partnership between Interior Health, the KGH Foundation, and the CCDPM.”

What: Free naloxone training and education workshop
Who: Southern Medical Program student, volunteers with Okanagan Naloxone Training
When: Monday, November 25 at 6 p.m.
Where: UBC Okanagan, Reichwald Health Sciences Centre, Room 260, 1088 Discovery Avenue

Ariel Smith, a Southern Medical Program at UBC Okanagan has seen first hand the impacts of the opioid overdose crisis on Okanagan communities.

During the height of BC’s public health emergency in 2016, Smith volunteered as part of the naloxone training team with Helping Out People Exploited (HOPE) Outreach—an organization that supports homeless and exploited women in downtown Kelowna and Vernon.

For a year and a half, Smith visited homeless shelters and downtown locations. There, using naloxone kits, she trained some of the most vulnerable populations how to prevent opioid overdoses and save lives. Naloxone, if used promptly, can reverse the effects of an overdose from narcotics such as fentanyl or OxyContin.

While volunteers made great strides in education and training in the downtown cores, Smith quickly realized the general public was still largely unaware of the risk factors and how they could potentially help in an emergency.

“Through conversations with family and friends, I recognized a huge knowledge gap still existed in our community,” says Smith. “Especially, considering the majority of opioid overdose deaths in BC happen to people living inside a private residence.”

Now in her second year of studies at UBCO, Smith recently launched Okanagan Naloxone Training as part of the Faculty of Medicine’s FLEX (flexible and enhanced learning) course.

In partnership with HOPE Outreach, Smith offers free naloxone training sessions to people, businesses or volunteer organizations in the Okanagan.

“There is still a large stigma associated with opioids and naloxone training,” says Smith. “In our workshops, we create a safe learning environment for people to ask questions, learn to recognize the signs of an overdose and practice with real equipment.”

Smith is organizing an event at UBCO on November 25. Each participant receives hands-on training, a certificate of completion and a free naloxone kit. This event is free and open to public. To register email: hello@oknaloxone.ca.

For more information about Okanagan Naloxone Training, visit https://oknaloxone.ca.

Dr. Neil Hanon has been appointed Clerkship Site Director, Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) for the Southern Medical Program (SMP). Dr. Hanon is the Department Head of Psychiatry at KGH and Clinical Assistant Professor with the UBC Department of Psychiatry.

Dr. Hanon completed his medical degree and residency with the University of Alberta. From the early beginnings of the SMP, Dr. Hanon led the development of the psychiatry rotation for third-year students at KGH. Since 2008, he has served as a Discipline Specific Site Leader for the SMP and an excellent preceptor for UBC medical students and residents. Dr. Hanon was recently recognized for his contributions to UBC with the Faculty of Medicine’s 2018 Clinical Faculty Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching.

At this time, the SMP would also like to thank Dr. Vincent Arockiasamy for his dedication and contributions to the continued growth of the Kelowna Clerkship Program. Dr. Arockiasamy will continue his work with the Faculty of Medicine in his new provincial role as Director, Student Assessment.

Southern Medical Program Student: Darren Guenther, Class of 2021
Research Supervisors: Drs. Delia Sauciuc and Siavash Atrchian, BC Cancer – Kelowna

What’s your research about?

Esophageal and esophageal junction cancers are some of the most rapidly increasing causes of cancer death worldwide. While longer wait times from diagnosis to treatment increases the theoretical risk of cancer related complications, previous research on wait times in esophageal cancer is sparse.

Furthermore, the small amount of research on this topic may underestimate the negative impact of long wait times. Consequently, the current study investigates the relationship between wait time and survival via a retrospective chart review of esophageal cancer patients treated at BC Cancer. Apart from determining the effect of wait time on survival, the study also explores the effects of wait time on other important cancer related outcomes, such as: treatment completion rates, cancer recurrence rates, surgical outcomes, pathological findings, and usage of PET scans for staging.

What’s the potential impact?

This project aims to provide a better understanding of the effects of wait time in esophageal cancer survival outcomes. Currently, certain jurisdictions worldwide have established guidelines regarding maximum wait time from diagnosis to treatment. However, no such guidelines exist in BC. As such, the question remains uncertain whether setting maximum waiting times is necessary or valuable for patients with esophageal or esophageal junctional cancers. By further understanding the effects of wait time on survival outcomes, local healthcare administrators will be more informed when creating policies such as maximum wait times. Ultimately, we plan to publish our findings with the hope that empiric evidence will guide medical professionals everywhere as they seek to provide optimal care for their patients.

Thanks to the Colin & Lois Pritchard Foundation for supporting this student research project. 

Drs. Taran Main and Ashandeep Sandhu, recent Southern Medical Program (SMP) graduates, are the 2019 recipients of the BC College Family Physician’s Medical Student Scholarship. The annual scholarship is awarded to two fourth-year medical students entering UBC’s Family Practice Residency Program.

Nominated by Dr. Marjorie Docherty, SMP Clerkship Site Leader for Rural Family Practice, both graduates were recognized for their advocacy and passion for family practice. Dr. Sandhu is currently completing her first year of residency with the Abbotsford-Mission family practice site and Dr. Main with the Rural Okanagan site in Kelowna.

I am honoured to have been selected to receive the BCCFP medical student scholarship and humbled to have the nomination come from Dr. Marjorie Docherty. I am also excited that the co-recipient was a fellow Kelowna graduate!  Family medicine, and more specifically addictions medicine, has always had a special place in my heart, and I look forward to continuing my training in Kelowna.

– Dr. Taran Main

I was fortunate that I knew early on that I was interested in pursuing a career in family medicine. Therefore, I was able to get involved in a variety of clubs and activities, which helped further enrich my family medicine experience. It’s an honour to receive this scholarship and I am very grateful to Dr. Docherty for the nomination.

– Dr. Ashandeep Sandhu

Sarah Hanson, Program Coordinator for the Faculty of Medicine’s Integrated Community Clerkship Programs is now certified as a Canadian Medical Education Administrator (CMEA) with the Canadian Administrators in Medical Education Operations (CAMEO). Based at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, Hanson has supported and advocated for ICC programs in Vernon and across the province since 2011.

Hanson successfully demonstrated the skills, knowledge and experience for the CMEA certification, which is centred on the Royal College CanMEDS competencies for administration. She was also acknowledged by the organization for her pursuit of life-long learning and professional growth.

“The process of obtaining my CMEA has allowed me to reflect on and honour the work that I do,” says Hanson. “I am very fortunate to be involved in medical education and work with amazing colleagues across the province.”

Dr. Jared Baylis has been appointed Medical Education Simulation Lead, Interior for the Southern Medical Program (SMP). Dr. Baylis is an emergency physician at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH), Clinical Instructor with the UBC Department of Emergency Medicine, and Medical Director for Simulation with Interior Health.

Dr. Baylis completed his medical degree at Queen’s University and residency with the Royal College Emergency Medicine Program in Kelowna. Additionally, Dr. Baylis has completed a simulation fellowship with the Centre of Excellence for Simulation Education and Innovation in Vancouver. Throughout his training, Dr. Baylis has served as a preceptor for SMP students and UBC residents training at KGH. He has facilitated emergency medicine simulation sessions, co-led ultrasound and procedure workshops, and supported UBC curriculum development province-wide for the Royal College Emergency Medicine Program.

As the new Simulation Lead, Dr. Baylis will develop, coordinate and oversee simulation activities within the SMP and UBC residency programs in the BC Interior. He will also work in close collaboration with Simulation Leads from the Island Medical Program, Northern Medical Program and Vancouver-Fraser Medical Program for the Faculty of Medicine.

The Southern Medical Program is hosting an evening information session for prospective applicants to the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s MD Undergraduate Program. Learn about the admission requirements, application process, and how the program is training the next generation of physicians for our province.

The event will be held on Wednesday, November 27th from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in the Reichwald Health Sciences Centre at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

Presenters include Dr. Shahin Shirzad, Assistant Dean, Admissions, UBC Faculty of Medicine and current Southern Medical Program students.

(Please note registration is now closed as the event is full)

For more information, please contact Carri Folk, Student Affairs and Admissions Coordinator, Southern Medical Program at carri.folk@ubc.ca or 250.807.9576.

The UBC Faculty of Medicine has recognized two Southern Medical Program (SMP) faculty for their contributions to medical education in the BC Interior.

Dr. Elizabeth McCoid, Clinical Instructor with the UBC Department of Family Practice is the recipient of the 2019 Clinical Faculty Award for Excellence in Community Practice Teaching. As Site Director for the Trail Integrated Community Clerkship (ICC) program, Dr. McCoid is a positive force for the SMP in the Kootenay Boundary region. Over her expansive career, she is known for her compassionate patient care and availability to students and residents.

Dr. Josh Williams, Clinical Assistant Professor with the UBC Department of Emergency Medicine is the recipient of the 2019 Clinical Faculty Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching. Dr. Williams is highly regarded for his innovative teaching style and genuine commitment to medical education. Dr. Williams played an integral role for the SMP as an inaugural Clinical Skills Course Director and currently serves as the Associate Program Director for the Royal College Emergency Medicine residency program at Kelowna General Hospital.