By Liz Bevan – Trail Daily Times

Recruiting a doctor to set up a practice in a rural area is an issue the province has been dealing with for a long time, but the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the Southern Medical Program may have a solution.

In Trail, Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) is the site for the Integrated Community Clerkship (ICC) where students can get a glimpse of small town medicine before they graduate and become practicing physicians.

When Rossland native and UBC medical student, Nichole Gill, was given the opportunity to study in the Kootenays, she jumped at the chance to come home.

Once her first two years of medical school were done, Gill was required to apply for a third-year clerkship at a hospital in the province. Through the ICC program, studying at KBRH was an option and she was picked for one of four spots in the 2014-2015 program.

“You had to apply to the program and then you rank your preference on where you wanted to go,” she said. “Trail was my first choice, and I was was really excited at being able to come back here.”

Having grown up in Rossland, Gill already knew about the long list of features the area has to offer, but had yet to experience medical education near her home community.

“I grew up knowing that I loved the area, especially all of the recreational activities, like skiing and hiking,” she said. “I love the community feel in a smaller town, so for me, coming back here this year, was all about learning what it was like to practice medicine in a small town and get a real look at what it would be like to do that in the future.”

Small-town medical training hasn’t been around the Kootenays forever. The program at KBRH, and five other hospitals across the province, was introduced in 2011, and has had a successful run for the last four years. Gill is an example of the program working the way it was planned.

“I have had such a great experience here that I can definitely see myself coming back here, or somewhere like it,” she said.

Part of what makes the rural medical education program so successful, at least from Gill’s perspective, is the personalized experience she gets on a day-to-day basis.

“There are only four of us, as opposed to various medical schools that have tons of students in various stages of medical training,” she said. “Because there are so few of us, we get to have the run of hospital. We get to do a lot of things that you might not get to do in a bigger hospital, just because they are busier and students aren’t necessarily always at the front of the line for who gets to do a procedure or who gets to go first. It is personalized.”

Dr. Cheryl Hume, ICC program director at KBRH, says the quality of education the students receive through the program is second-to-none.

“There is a lot of one-on-one mentorship with the students,” she said. “They get a lot of direct experience and they get to really know their teachers and their teachers can really help them learn and assess how they are learning.”

Working in a smaller community also provides Gill and the other students with the environment to get to know the patients she is treating and seeing day-to-day.

“There is a lot of opportunity to work with patients one-on-one,” she said. “That is the integrated part. We are here, interacting and getting to know people. We only have one half-day a week in a classroom environment, and the rest of the week, it is clinical learning time. It is definitely exciting to be out of the classroom.”

Dr. Hume sees the student-patient relationship as a huge plus within the ICC program.

“The most important thing, is that the students gets to see patients over the course of the year,” she said.  “They really understand the patient care journey and how care can progress or how health and wellness progress instead of going in and seeing a patient once and trying to learn about a disease that way. There is that continuity.”

With the ICC program, Gill and her fellow third-year students, are in the process of taking different medical specialities for a test-drive in everything from surgery to family practice. Soon, she is going to have to pick a specialty to focus on, dictating the rest of her education and future career.

“We do a few weeks at a time in each specialty, then we rotate through them later in the year,” she said, adding that she is going to have a hard time coming up with a future specialty. “I liked aspects of all of my rotations, which is making it very difficult to decide what I am going to do next.”

One of the options Gill has for her fourth year of medical training is to apply for the brand-new UBC Rural Residency Program, launching this summer. The new program provides medical students with the opportunity to continue their studies in a small town setting, and hopes to attract doctors to small town life.

Dr. Hume says the new rural residency program is the next logical step for medical students already learning in a rural environment.

“We are taking students to the next level with this two-year training program we have built on top of what we have already done (with the ICC),” she said, adding that the program will be taking in its first four students this July. “This is where we get young future physicians exposed to rural medical practice. Especially if they were already here for a year in the ICC program, they would be here for two years after that in a rural environment.

“The chances of them returning to a rural environment to practice is much, much better. It will go a long way to fixing our physician recruitment concerns. It is all part of the big picture.”

For more information on the ICC or the Rural Residency Program, visit www.mdprogram.med.ubc.ca

Congratulations to Dr. Cheryl Holmes for her recent acknowledgment for the Canadian Association for Medical Education (CAME) Certificate of Merit Award 2015. Dr. Holmes joined the Southern Medical Program (SMP) in 2009 as Site Lead, Undergraduate Education, Kelowna. Over the past five years, her primary responsibilities have been to develop, sustain, and continuously improve the clinical clerkship experience for our students and faculty at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). Dr. Holmes is a highly respected teacher and instructs students and residents in the Critical Care Unit at KGH. Dr. Holmes’ passion for medical education and assessment motivated her to pursue a Masters in Health Professions Education from University of Illinois, Chicago.  Her thesis entitled Harnessing the Hidden Curriculum in Clinical Clerkship: A Four-Step Reflective Competency Approach was selected by the Masters program for the ‘Best Thesis’ award and has also been published in a peer reviewed journal.

“It is such a pleasure to be in the company of educators and scholars and an exciting time to be involved in medical education in the UBC Faculty of Medicine,” said Dr. Holmes. “The curriculum renewal process provides real opportunity to be involved and make a positive impact on preparing the next generation of physicians for a  future that we can’t even envision.”

Dr. Trent Smith is the new Site Co‐Leader, Undergraduate Education, Royal Inland Hospital (RIH). Dr. Smith is a Kamloops‐based Pediatrician and Clinical Assistant Professor with the UBC Department of Pediatrics.

Dr. Smith completed his medical degree at the University of Alberta followed by a pediatrics residency with the UBC Faculty of Medicine. In 2002, Dr. Smith began his practice in Kamloops and has since served in numerous educational leadership positions at RIH over the past thirteen years. Dr. Smith is a member of the BC Pediatric Society, Canadian Pediatric Society, and past Director of the Kamloops Action for Health Communities Society.

Dr. Smith acted as the Education Coordinator for the Department of Pediatrics soon after joining the staff at RIH.  Under Dr. Smith’s stewardship, the department evolved from elective training for residents to a core rotation site for R2 pediatric residents.  In 2009, he assumed the role of Discipline Specific Site Leader (DSSL) for the Department of Pediatrics and was integral in piloting and developing the SMP’s Year 3 traditional clerkship program based at RIH.  Most recently, Dr. Smith was instrumental in the design and implementation of the pediatric rotation for the new Kamloops Family Medicine residency program which accepted its first residents last July. Dr. Smith has been acknowledged for his work both as a physician and medical educator including the UBC Community Pediatrician of the Year, UBC Community Based Pediatrician Award, and the Canadian Association of Medical Education’s 2014 Certificate of Merit Award.

Considering future career options can be a daunting task for medical students, especially those who have yet to begin their clerkship training. There is also increased pressure to make career decisions early into their third-year clerkship to help best prepare for their future residency application.  This past month, the SMP Office of Student Affairs hosted an inaugural ‘Careers Night’ event to offer students an opportunity to learn more about the different careers in medicine.

The event featured eleven physicians representing family medicine and numerous specialties. First, a panel discussion allotted time for each physician to speak about their type of practice and lifestyle. Second, a career ‘speed dating’ activity allowed students to choose several potential career options and meet with physicians during small group discussions. The response from students was exceedingly positive and they recommended the event be hosted annually. A special thanks to Dr. Connie Hull, Carri Folk, Lisa Roe and SMP students Hannah Duyvewaardt, Olivia Guerra, and Aaron Sobkowicz in helping organize this year’s event.

Dr. Melanie Reed has been appointed the new Southern Medical Program (SMP) Assistant Dean, Student Affairs effective June 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018.

Dr. Reed is a Clinical Associate Professor with the Department of Surgery at UBC and a Radiation Oncologist at the Cancer Centre for the Southern Interior in Kelowna. She has a strong interest in undergraduate education and she has been a dedicated supporter of the SMP since it’s opening. She has been involved in many facets of the program including admissions, clinical skills teaching, mentorship and the third year surgical clerkship. She is also involved in resident teaching, is a member of the BCCA Radiation Oncology residency training committee, and a Royal College examiner. In her spare time, Dr. Reed enjoys spending time with her husband, two teenage daughters and three dogs on their hobby farm in Southeast Kelowna.

Dr. Reed will work alongside Dr. Connie Hull who will continue in her role until August 1, 2015. Dr. Hull has been the Assistant Dean, Student Affairs for the SMP since its inception and developed an exceptional and innovative Student Affairs Office for the SMP. Welcome to Dr. Reed and special thanks to Dr. Hull for her outstanding commitment to our students and our program.

Erin Menzies, Southern Medical Program Librarian was recently named the sole Canadian recipient of the 2015 EBSCO/MLA Annual Meeting Grant. As a result of this funding, Erin will be able to attend the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting being held in Austin, TX in May 2015, where she’ll present her original research exploring the topic of information services to distributed medical students.

For the past year, Erin has worked with the SMP teaching informatics skills to students, supporting program-wide research initiatives, and curriculum support and consultation. She relocated to Kelowna from Toronto, where she spent several years in academic medicine and clinical information services.

The second annual UBC Okanagan Interdisciplinary Student Health Conference was held at the Clinical Academic Campus on March 12, 2015. This year’s event featured presentations from students with the Southern Medical Program, Faculty of Health and Social Development, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, and interns from the BC Cancer Agency.

Thanks to all faculty, staff, students, and adjudicators for making this year’s event another great success. Congratulations to this year’s winners and honourable mentions:

Research & Science Category:
Top Honours: Stephanie Schindler
Honourable Mention: Drew Phillips

Public Health Category:
Top Honours: Henry Gerelle, Aaron Sobkowicz, and Timothy Walters
Honourable Mention: Vivian Ma

(L-R) Vernon Integrated Community Clerkship Director Dr. Carmen Larsen, Vernon Family Physician Dr. George Borchert, MLA Eric Foster, and UBC medical students Julia Hassler and Erin Charman help official open new UBC space at Vernon Jubilee Hospital

Students in the University of British Columbia’s (UBC)Southern Medical Program officially have a new place to call home at Vernon Jubilee Hospital(VJH).

Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster joined UBC’s Regional Associate Dean for the Interior Dr. Allan Jones and Vernon Jubilee Hospital physician Dr. George Borchert, along with medical school students, physicians and administrators from the Southern Medical Program and Interior Health to celebrate the opening of the recently renovated medical school space, located on the fifth floor of the Polson Tower.

“We’re very pleased to see this project complete and to have this space available to medical students and other health professionals in our community,” said Foster. “This space will provide an enhanced and more comfortable learning environment for our future care providers and is an investment that supports the community in which we hope they will stay and practice and one day call home.”

The new academic space features centralized education areas, a clinical skills room and two video conferencing rooms providing an enhanced learning and training environment. It also offers a great venue for specialists, family physicians and allied health professionals to participate in continuing professional development programs and events.

“The new facilities will better support our program’s ability to deliver medical education and training both at Vernon Jubilee Hospital and within the Vernon community,”said Dr. Jones. “We are most appreciative of our partnerships with government and Interior Health in developing these exceptional learning spaces for our students, faculty and staff.”

The space also has an on-call sleep area, lounge and lockers for medical students completing their clinical training at Vernon Jubilee Hospital,as well as those training in community clinics.

“This new medical school space is another great example of the strong partnership that exists between the province, the Southern Medical Program and Interior Health,” said Interior Health Board Chair Erwin Malzer. “We’re proud to be a part of the program and we look forward to continuing our work to ensure the program continues to be successful.”

Students are expected to begin occupying the new space immediately with medical education programs ongoing. Construction and equipment for the UBC space on the fifth floor totaled approximately $983,000 and was funded by the Ministry of Health.

The third annual Southern Medical Program Welcome Reception was held at the historic Laurel Packinghouse in downtown Kelowna on the evening of January 30, 2015. The event serves as a formal welcome to the newest cohort of medical students to the SMP and the BC Interior medical community. It also provides a chance to acknowledge the hard work and contributions of the SMP’s faculty, staff, and program partners. Student emcees Olivia Guerra and Chris Stuart did a great job kicking off the event and provided some words of wisdom to the newest group of students.

Thanks to the faculty, staff, students, alumni, and special guests who were able to attend. A special thanks to event sponsors Scotiabank, Meyers Norris Penny, Doctors of BC, Canadian Medical Association, MD Management, Faculty of Medicine Alumni, and Drs. Allan and Charlotte Jones for supporting the event. The net proceeds from the reception will help create a new bursary award for the Class of SMP 2018.