The UBC Faculty of Medicine is hosting the 13th annual Aboriginal Pre-Admissions Workshop from July 18 to 20, 2016 at UBC Okanagan in partnership with the Southern Medical Program.

The purpose of the workshop is to provide Aboriginal students with the necessary tools to be successful in the application process and completing their studies with the MD Undergraduate Program. The workshop is led by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal physicians, medical students and residents, university staff and faculty members.

Aboriginal Grade 11 and 12 students as well as those attending university/college are encouraged to register. Please note travel to and from the workshop will be the student’s responsibility. Space is limited, so apply early.

Application deadline: June 17, 2016

To apply, please contact James Andrew, Aboriginal Student Initiatives Coordinator at (604) 875-4111 ext. 68946 or aboriginal.md@ubc.ca.

Exposure to rural family practice is a key component of the Faculty of Medicine’s curriculum for third-year medical students. Often, it can have a transformative effect on students who are at a pivotal stage charting their future career paths.

The Rural Family Practice Clerkship is a mandatory four-week rotation completed in a rural BC community aimed at showcasing the wide range of skills, expertise, and advocacy that are core to the life of a rural family physician. Within the BC Interior, there are approximately 130 rural family physicians teaching these rotations in 34 different communities.

The educational experience of third-year Southern Medical Program (SMP) student Kirsten Mossington is typical:

They say it takes a village to raise a child. One of the strongest messages I got from my rural family practice rotation was that it takes an entire community to train a physician. This past winter, I was placed in Christina Lake for one month to experience rural family medicine. Each morning, I would meet my preceptor at the hospital in Grand Forks where we would see follow-up patients, perform minor procedures, round on in-patients, and see long-term care patients before heading off to the clinic in Christina Lake, or completing a shift in the emergency department. This was the case for each of the family physicians in the area, as well as the rural family residents who were in Grand Forks for their placements.

I was lucky to have had the opportunity to spend time with each and every one of them. As such, I was able to see a wide variety of patients and problems. I spent time learning about chemotherapy from the family physician that runs the oncology clinic. I was called into the trauma room several times to watch (and press the button for) electrical cardioversions and learned a lot about arrhythmias. I was invited to observe stress testing performed by one of the other family physicians and had great discussions about ECG interpretation. One of the resident physicians led me through performing a thoracentesis on a patient with a large pleural effusion; the other took the time to review the FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma) with me, among other things. It was such a great experience that each and every one of these doctors took me under their wing and imparted some of their wisdom.

Furthermore, none of these experiences would have been available had it not been for willing patients. The people of these small communities were agreeable and often quite pleased to chat with me. It was evident that they had a lot of trust in their physician, and therefore trusted me. One of the clearest lessons that I learned was how important it is to listen to your patients, because oftentimes, even if they don’t leave with a diagnosis or prescription, they leave feeling a bit better.  

The flip-side of the experience is that of a rural family physician such as Dr. Bob Lewis who has been teaching students in Christina Lake for the past six years. Dr. Lewis’s teaching emphasizes the differences in small town practice versus larger centres, the various roles physicians play within the community, and an in-depth understanding of the health care costs and resource limitations of rural practice. Aside from contributing to the education of future physicians, the students can positively impact both the rural physician and their practice:

Every student brings new insights into my practice and I learn what is new in medicine from the students’ up-to-date learning. Teaching also keeps me on my toes with all the questions these keen students ask. It also makes me think about not just what I do but why I do it.

Kirsten made an impact on my patients. Many of them stated how pleasant she was to talk to and what a great listener and communicator she was. She voluntarily stayed up late with me when I was on call to get as much exposure to as wide an array of medical cases that she could. She was always well prepared and asked great questions.

The SMP is recruiting new preceptors to join our network of rural physicians to grow medical education opportunities across the BC Interior and help expose students to the rewards and challenges of rural practice. To learn more about how to get involved, contact Dr. Marjorie Docherty, Clerkship Site Leader, Rural Family Practice at marjdoc@gmail.com or 250-469-2858.

(L-R) Second year Southern Medical Program students Jasmine Gurm, Robin Whitty, and Kibby Milsom

As part of the Faculty of Medicine’s Doctor, Patient, & Society (DPAS) course, second-year Southern Medical Program (SMP) students Kibby Milsom, Jasmine Gurm, and Robin Whitty have been working with the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) to help enhance the team’s profile within the local medical community. Here’s our Q & A with SMP students:

Q: What is the background for your DPAS project?
A: SART is a group of specially-trained family physicians who provide support for survivors of sexual assault. Based at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH), they have provided medical and emotional support to hundreds of women and men for more than 20 years. While the team is funded to be on call, any additional promotion or training is essentially done off the side of their desks.

If someone has been sexually assaulted and seeks medical care within seven days, they can access a SART physician by request through the KGH Emergency Department. A friend or family member is welcome to accompany the person to offer support. Staff from the Elizabeth Fry Society are also available. The SART physician will examine and treat injuries, prescribe any necessary medications, and provide emotional support and resources. They are also able to collect samples for a police investigation; however, the decision to report to the police rests solely with the patient. All services are provided free of charge.

Q: What has been the focus of your work?

A: Our DPAS group came together to try to fill some of the gaps. Despite the amazing work done by the team, they had absolutely no online presence and many physicians and community organizations were unaware their services exists.

To help gain a better understanding, each of us takes a week each month to be on call with a SART physician. When a call comes in, we are at the hospital with the physician assisting with evidence collection and report writing. We are also there to provide emotional support to the patient and connect them with other resources in the community. The hands-on experience has really helped us to focus on where information resources are most valuable. For instance, since vulnerable women such as those who are unstably housed or sex workers are more likely to be the victims of sexual assault, we wanted to ensure that organizations who work with those populations were aware of SART.

We also realized that the lasting impacts of sexual assaults on survivors’ health is a topic that is often overlooked in the medical curriculum. We hoped to fill that gap by raising awareness amongst SMP students.

Q: How have you help raised awareness?

A: To date, we have worked with more than 10 different service organizations to raise awareness within the community. For instance, when we first contacted HOPE (Helping Out People Exploited), an organization that supports sex workers in Kelowna, our goal was to see if they would post SART information on their website. They were so passionate about collaborating that beyond posting a blurb online, they incorporated the information we provided into their training for new volunteers and invited us to come to their events. At one of their monthly pizza nights, we went to raise awareness and were able to identify some of their barriers in accessing care and report back to the SART team.

To reach our classmates, we took a different tactic. In the first month of each term, we made a brief presentation about the SART team and our DPAS project. We also hosted a documentary screening of ‘The Hunting Ground’ in early March and invited community groups and SART physicians. Not only were we able to put SART on people’s radar, but we also helped identify ourselves as point-of-contacts for those seeking more information about sexual assault services. The side conversations and informal dialogues are difficult to quantify, but we certainly have raised the profile of sexual assault with our classmates. Moreover, the first year class is organizing a tour of the sexual assault service in Kelowna and meeting with the Elizabeth Fry Society to gain a better understanding on how to support survivors.

Q: What are your next steps?

A: We are hoping to leave a bit of a legacy with the project. We are currently working to establish an annual donation of underwear from various clothing stores in Kelowna. For victims of sexual assault, giving up their underwear as part of forensic evidence collection can be a degrading experience. Our hope is by having a selection of underwear on hand, we can potentially help reduce the shame and offer a small step towards their healing.

We presented an abstract and poster presentation for the UBC Okanagan Interdisciplinary Health Conference which enabled the issue of sexual assault and the SART services to reach a broader, interdisciplinary audience. As part of that poster, we created an infographic which highlights how to access sexual assault services to be used as a standalone poster for bars, restaurants and around campuses. Look for it to start showing up in bathroom stalls and physician offices in the near future.

Download Infographic

Third-year Southern Medical Program (SMP) student Vincent Wong has been recognized with the 2016 Medical Student Leadership Award from the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) and MD Financial Management. The annual award is given to one student from each of the 14 CFMS-member schools.

Vincent was recognized for his contributions to the SMP through his past student council roles as Year 1 SMP Vice-President and SMP Vice-President for the Medical Undergraduate Society and now current roles as Year 3 SMP Vice-President Academic and Co-Chair for the SMP Family Medicine Interest Group.

Each winner was presented with a certificate of recognition, a cash prize of $2000, and an opportunity to attend the CFMS Spring General Meeting held in Montreal from April 15-16, 2016. Congratulations to Vincent on his award and recognition for his contributions to the SMP community.

Second-year Southern Medical Program (SMP) students Marc Jutras and Sydney White are the 2016 recipients of the Reichwald Family Foundation Southern Medical Program award. The annual award provides $10,000 each for two SMP students who have demonstrated excellence in academics, leadership capabilities, and community service. Congratulations to both Marc and Sydney on their awards and their outstanding contributions to the program and the community.

Marc Jutras

Born in Saskatchewan and raised in Abbotsford, Marc Jutras earned a Bachelor of Business Administration at Simon Fraser University with a joint major in Psychology prior to beginning his medical studies with the SMP. During first year, he received funding through UBC’s Summer Student Research Program (SSRP) to participate in a research project at the BC Cancer Agency in Kelowna entitled Development of Ultra-High Resolution CT for Differential Diagnosis of Lung Nodules found using Low-Dose CT, a project he remains currently involved with. In addition to his research, Marc serves numerous student groups including SMP Site Representative for the Student Interest Group in Neurology, Treasurer for the SMP Stem Cell Club, Executive for the SMP Ultrasound Interest Group, as well as a staff writer for the UBC Medical Journal. He also serves as one of the Histology Block representatives for the MD class of 2018 and volunteers as a content developer for the website www.teachingmedicine.com.

Sydney White

Prior to entering medical school, Sydney White lived and worked in Revelstoke as Paramedic with the BC Ambulance Service and Ski Patrol at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. She earned a BSc. Honours in Biochemistry from UBC Okanagan during which time she participated in numerous Alzheimer’s research projects. Now with the SMP, Sydney serves as student representative from the Aboriginal Health Initiative, Emergency Medicine Interest Group, and Wilderness Medicine Society. She is Co-Chair for the Mass Gathering Medicine Club working with regional event organizers to connect medical student learners with events such as the BC Winter Games and BMO Marathon. Through funding from UBC’s SSRP, Sydney hopes to make a broader impact through her research by examining ways medical care at music festivals can improve safety and reduce facilities. She has also established an annual Ambulance Ride-Along Program for second-year students to experience pre-hospital care in emergency settings.

Name: Sarah Fraser
Hometown: Nanaimo, BC

What attracted you to the field of medicine?
There are so many great things about the field of medicine. You get to interact with all types of people in very unique ways and build real connections. Additionally, I have always loved puzzles and medicine provides so many opportunities to put pieces together and solve complex problems.

What are you most excited about beginning your studies with the (Southern Medical Program)?
I am most excited to be a part of such a small and cohesive class. The opportunities to know your colleagues and the incredible SMP faculty are so abundant. Also, the facilities and lifestyle that the Southern Medical Program provide are incredible, I mean, there are volleyball courts right outside class!

What do you like to do in your spare time to relax and have fun?
Basketball is my stress reliever but I also like to get outside and go for hikes or play some beach volleyball. If I’m not doing that, I’ll be binge-watching Netflix or travelling (this summer I’m going to Tanzania!)

What’s one thing we might be surprised to learn about you?
My first ever concert was Nickelback – and I liked it!

Name:  Taran Main
Hometown: Armstrong

What attracted you to the field of medicine?
Dr. Naismith was my family physician growing up and he was kind, smart and professional. From the age of six onwards, I knew I wanted to go into medicine and become a doctor. I am excited to be in a profession where I am always learning and striving to be a better person.

What are you most excited about beginning your studies with the (Southern Medical Program)?
I am excited to be in a smaller medical program with all my great classmates and enjoy everything that the beautiful interior has to offer.  I really enjoy that the faculty all know you by your first name and the incredible first-hand experience you get when working in a smaller community.

What do you like to do in your spare time to relax and have fun?
When I have time to relax, I love to paint when it is raining out, ski when it is snowing out and play sports and fish when the sun is shining.

What’s one thing we might be surprised to learn about you?
I have a collection of about 300+ plastic miniatures that I build, paint and have played competitively with at tournaments and may have won a few times….

Thanks to everyone who was able to attend the 2016 UBC Okanagan Interdisciplinary Health Conference on March 15, 2016 at the Clinical Academic Campus. Check out the photos from the event on the Southern Medical Program’s Facebook page.  Here’s the list of the research presentation winners by category:

The UBC Faculty of Medicine Southern Medical Program is hosting an evening information session for local high school students. 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 Monday, May 2nd from 6:30 to 7:30 pm in the Reichwald Health Sciences Centre at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

Presenters include Dr. Bruce Fleming, Associate Dean, MD Admissions, current Southern Medical Program students, and a UBC Student Recruiter and Advisor.

Click here to register

For more info, contact Warren Brock, Communications Manager, Southern Medical Program at warren.brock@ubc.ca or 250.807.8601.

Photo: contributed by Canadian Diabetes Association

Community-based walking programs in Central and North Okanagan support diabetes prevention and self-management

What: Walk ‘n’ Talk Diabetes provide free eight-week walking programs in Kelowna and Vernon

Who: Hosted by the Southern Medical Program and Canadian Diabetes Association

Where: Two separate programs in Kelowna (various locations) and Vernon (Poulson Park)

Time: Kelowna: Every Thursday, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. from April 7 to May 25, 2016
Vernon: Every Wednesday, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. from April 6 to May 25, 2016

More than 10 million Canadians are currently living with diabetes or prediabetes. With more than 20 Canadians newly diagnosed with the disease every hour of every day, chances are that diabetes affects you or someone you know. However, with a life-long commitment to self-management, people can expect to live active, independent and vital lives.

Walk ‘n’ Talk Diabetes is a community-based walking program focused on diabetes prevention and self-management. Each program offers eight walking sessions comprised of a 15 minute healthy lifestyle talk followed by up to 45 minutes of walking (duration depends on the ability of each participant). Each session will have three groups of walkers with a volunteer leader, who will keep time, answer questions and assist participants who may be unable to complete the distance. Groups will be organized by walking speed – slow, medium and fast. A dedicated volunteer will also be available to assist in any emergency situations.

Programs are free and open to the participants of all activity levels. Walk ‘n’ Talk Diabetes is hosted by the Southern Medical Program and Canadian Diabetes Association with generous support from The Colin & Lois Pritchard Foundation.

To register, contact Glenna Armstrong Branch Coordinator, Canadian Diabetes Association at 1-888-628-9494 or glenna.armstrong@diabetes.ca.

A portable ultrasound machine in use during an anatomy lecture presented at UBC Okanagan and video conferenced to medical students in Vancouver, Prince George and Victoria.

UBC medical students and health-care providers will get more hands-on training thanks to a recent donation of two new portable ultrasound machines to the UBC Southern Medical Program (SMP).

A recent gift from The Colin & Lois Pritchard Foundation allowed the program to purchase two machines that will be dedicated for training in basic ultrasound proficiency, benefiting multiple learner groups at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) and physicians in the southern interior.

Ultrasound is a crucial and versatile tool within the field of medicine and considered indispensable in areas such as emergency medicine, surgery, critical care, obstetrics and gynecology. Many physicians describe it as the new stethoscope, representative of a new standard for medical practice and point-of-care-delivery.

However, the technology hasn’t always been readily available for teaching given its heavy clinical use throughout the hospital.

The recent gift from the Pritchard Foundation will alleviate that problem. The two new portable ultrasound machines are designated as a training resource for MD students and residents at KGH.

“The ability to see inside a patient, virtually, from initial examination to the moment of discharge, improves and enhances the entire process of patient care,” says Dr. Allan Jones, Regional Associate Dean, Interior, UBC Faculty of Medicine. “We are fortunate to have dedicated access to these machines and are now exploring ways to best integrate the technology into the curriculum for our learners.”

The new equipment, a pair of Sonosite Edge portable ultrasound machines, is widely used by Interior Health. Equipped with a 12.1” (30.7cm) screen, each device comes with three probes, one for deep tissue analysis up to 30 cm, and two shallow probes up to 10 cm, primarily used for trauma, obstetrics, and central line placements.

The portability of the machines is a key benefit, says Jones. One of the machines was recently transported from KGH to UBC Okanagan for an anatomy lecture that was video conferenced to medical students in Vancouver, Prince George and Victoria.

“We want to help the Southern Medical Program train exceptional doctors here in the Okanagan,” says Colin Pritchard. “Like our previous gifts to medical education, my Foundation is very pleased to help the program acquire the tools that supports the best possible teaching at Kelowna General Hospital and UBC Okanagan.”

The new equipment is primarily housed at the Pritchard Simulation Centre and Clinical Teaching Unit at KGH where it will be used on real patients. In addition to SMP students, the machines will be used by medical residents with the Kelowna Rural Family Medicine and Royal College Emergency Medicine residency programs and for continuing professional development.