Dr. Stacey Butters and first year student Pat McDonald

First and second year Southern Medical Program (SMP) students gain valuable clinical experience learning alongside Vernon family physicians in community clinics and various departments at Vernon Jubilee Hospital.

Over the past two years, 50% of first and second SMP students have been taught by 24 different Vernon family physicians. With the continual intake of 32 new students to the program each year, the total number of students taught in Vernon is only expected to grow.

First year student Pat McDonald spends most Thursday afternoons seeing patients together with his family practice preceptor Dr. Stacey Butters in her Vernon clinic. As part of the MD curriculum, students are paired with preceptors on a one-on-one basis to gain exposure to patients and hands-on learning experiences. As a self-described kinesthetic learner, McDonald utilizes the sessions to hone his clinical skills and learn strategies on how to best navigate patient discussions and treatment plans.

“Dr. Butters focuses heavily on patient education and takes the time to fully explain her diagnoses and the available treatment options for her patients,” says McDonald. “Patient interaction is definitely one of her strongest features and her approach provides a great template in developing my own approach and communication skills.”

Over the course of the first two years of medical school, students are matched with seven to eight different family physicians gaining exposure to various types of family medicine. Students are able to work with a broad patient demographic while learning the different approaches taken by family physicians in caring for their patients. Each session provides new experiences and an opportunity to see the unexpected.

“The more complex cases are better for teaching,” says Dr. Butters who has taught four first year students over the past year and half. “I work with each student to identify which areas they are most interested in and as much as possible tie together the learning material covered in their lectures.”

The patients themselves play an invaluable role educating future doctors by sharing their stories and taking the time to allow students to learn from them.  The number and types of patients for each teaching session are often structured to allow for more time for the student to ask questions and practice procedures. Students will see between two to three patients each teaching session which typically last three hours.

“Teaching is a lot of fun,” adds Butters. “It’s nice to meet young people who are proactive, highly functioning, and motivated to learn.”

More than 100 family physicians from Vernon to West Kelowna are involved with teaching first and second year SMP students. The physicians find it rewarding to have the students as part of their practice. The students gain first-hand clinical experience and a glimpse into the window of a future career in family medicine.

Expansion of UBC’s medical school to the BC Interior could not have been more timely for The Colin & Lois Pritchard Foundation. The foundation was just getting launched and funding priorities established when news of the Southern Medical Program was announced.

Colin Pritchard, retired lawyer and UBC alumnus was eager to support medical education and research opportunities in the region, in particular those connected with his alma mater.  After receiving two life saving operations in recent years, Pritchard and his family recognize the importance of excellent medical care and the role education plays in its delivery.

“Our family believes strongly in supporting education and training for students and health care professionals in the Interior,” say Pritchard. “We are most encouraged that many of these graduating students will return to the region as practicing physicians to serve the health cares needs of our communities.”

Colin & Lois Pritchard and their daughter Alison Moscrop, foundation director have provided a tremendous amount of support for the program and its students:

• Funding the state-of-the-art Pritchard Simulation Centre which provides a highly-advanced learning environment for medical students and residents and  much needed resource for interprofessional training for Interior Health staff;
• Funding high dose brachytherapy research with the BC Cancer Agency of which a significant portion is allocated for student research opportunities;
• Supporting the expansion of TeleHealth throughout the Interior Health region developing new learning avenues for students;
• Creating a bursary fund for students graduating from the region’s high schools and universities which was matched entirely by a private donor.

“We really enjoy and value our relationship with the university and are always looking for new opportunities to support their efforts,” says Moscrop. “We also recognize the talent coming from the local universities and would love to retain some of these smart, capable individuals to stay and practice in the community.”

Through the foundation’s support, the Faculty of Medicine has been able to enhance partnerships and foster new collaborations with the Interior Health Authority, Kelowna General Hospital Foundation, and the BC Cancer Agency.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Colin, Lois, and Alison as members of the Southern Medical Program community,” says Dr. Allan Jones, Regional Associate Dean, Interior. “Their support has truly enriched the learning environment for countless students and professionals and will inevitably help improve the quality of health care in our region.”

The arrival of our second cohort signals another significant milestone for the Southern Medical Program. With 64 students now enrolled in the program, we have reached our targeted capacity for first and second year medical students. An immense amount of time and resources has been invested into ensuring our students receive a phenomenal educational experience that is delivered in a supportive learning environment. The feedback received from our newest cohort has been incredibly positive and reinforces the hard work that continues to be done by our faculty, staff, and program partners.

Our clinical faculty continues to grow in leaps and bounds, now reaching more than 700 physicians within the BC Interior.  Students from across UBC’s distributed MD Undergraduate Program now have more opportunities than ever to gain exposure to life and training in a diversity of communities situated throughout our region. The Faculty of Medicine continues to expand postgraduate education opportunities across the province, including the Interior, which many of our future graduates will inevitably take advantage for their residency training.

Twenty volunteer UBC medical students are now in the final stretches of their third year clerkship rotations in Kelowna, Kamloops, Trail, and Vernon.  The leadership and clinical faculty at each of our third year training sites have built and refined incredible rotations in final preparation for the first wave of SMP students in September 2013. Faculty development remains a top priority across the region to ensure our clinical faculty have the necessary tools and resources for their teaching sessions.

This summer marks the huge transition for our inaugural class as they make the jump from the classroom and local clinics to the wards, operating and emergency rooms of our region’s hospitals.  Their first stop is a four-week, rural family medicine clerkship rotation that can take them to virtually any small rural community within British Columbia, Yukon, or Northwest Territories. We are extremely proud of their achievements over the past two years and look forward to the next stage of their medical education with great anticipation.

Allan R. Jones, MD, FRCPC
Regional Associate Dean, Interior, UBC Faculty of Medicine
and Associate Vice-Provost, Medical Sciences, UBC Okanagan’s campus

32 new faces are gracing the halls of the Reichwald Health Sciences Centre and Clinical Academic Campus. The second-ever cohort of SMP students arrived in early January to begin their studies with the program. With many originating from outside of the Interior, students have spent the past couple of months getting acclimated to the city and building connections with the SMP faculty, staff, second year students, and the Okanagan medical community.

Comments from the class of SMP 2016:

Kurt Hoskin
My experiences with the doctors in the community have been extremely positive – all have been very excited to teach and share with us all their knowledge.

Trish Caddy
Everything about the SMP, from the pace of life to the preceptors to the wonderful, caring staff have made studying here an exciting and enjoyable experience.

Nicholas Azad
I have had an amazing experience with the Southern Medical Program. Everyone looks out for one another whether it be studying, setting up events, or doing activities inside/outside school.

Julia Hassler
The patients in clinical skills and especially in family practice are so welcoming and happy to have students learn from them in a clinical setting. All the staff are so welcoming and approachable.

Rob Trasolini
SMP was my first choice and I’m loving it. Kelowna is beautiful and the small program makes for a great learning environment.

Greg Costello
The local tutors and instructors have been absolutely fantastic, and really instill in me the sense that I am getting a truly top notch medical education here in Kelowna

First year SMP student Vivian Ma submitted this 5^th place winning entry for the annual Heartfelt Images contest. Held during the cardiovascular block of the MD program, entries must artistically conceptualize the heart and circulatory system.

“I was inspired by one of my clinical skills profs who told us to just close our eyes and listen through the stethoscope when he taught us how to listen for murmurs,” says Ma. “He said that it’s like listening to music where if you close your eyes, you can pick out the different components of an orchestra and for the heart, you can pick up the different components and patterns.” Ma received a stethoscope for her winning submission.

Dr. Charlotte Jones has recently joined the UBC Faculty of Medicine Southern Medical Program as Associate Professor of Medicine. Dr. Jones is an endocrinologist and leading researcher in the field of chronic disease prevention. Her research focuses on increasing awareness, detection and control of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in diverse and “at risk” populations including the elderly, ethnic minority groups and Aboriginal peoples.

Dr. Jones completed her medical degree and residency training in the field of endocrinology with the University of Calgary. Dr. Jones also holds MSc and PhD in Biochemistry from McGill University and completed post-doctoral training in cancer research at the Mayo Clinic. For the past 8 years, she served the University of Calgary as Associate Professor of Medicine and in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and supported by the University of Calgary and Hypertension Canada, Dr. Jones is conducting a nation-wide community-based participatory research project entitled “Know Your Numbers, Chart Your Heart” which aims to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in Canadian South Asians.  More than 1200 participants have been screened, educated and referred for care as part of the project that encompasses Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the number one cause of death in Canada due in large part to poor public awareness and inadequate CVD risk factor control in the community. In 2010, Dr. Jones developed the CHAMP model (Community Health Awareness Management Program) as a way to help address the problem and create a new, cost-effective approach to addressing community vascular health. CHAMP engages undergraduate students from a spectrum of health professional programs to work collaboratively in Community Action Teams whose aim is to increase awareness, detection and control of CVD risk factors in high-risk diverse populations.

Based on the program’s success, CATCH Alberta (Collaborative Action Teams for Community Health Alberta) was created representing the University of Calgary Faculties of Medicine and Nursing, University of Alberta Faculty of Pharmacy, and the Mount Royal University Faculty of Nursing. The program recently was incorporated into the curriculum and has became one of the most popular option choices offered in the mandatory community practicum for third and fourth nursing  students at Mount royal University in Calgary. Alberta.

The model was successfully piloted by medical and nursing students at UBC’s Okanagan campus resulting in a partnership with the UBC Faculty of Medicine, School of Nursing, Institute of Health Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, and the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Now based in Kelowna, Dr. Jones is exploring opportunities to introduce cardiovascular disease awareness and research programs such as CHAMP for ‘at risk’ populations in the BC Interior.

Year 1 Class President Nicholas Azad addresses the crowd on behalf the first year students.

The second cohort of SMP students was officially welcomed by the local medical community at the first ever SMP Student Welcome Reception. Over 150 students, faculty, staff, alumni and program partners attended the event held at the scenic Volcanic Hills Winery this past February.

The annual event is aimed at providing a warm welcome to the new students and thanking the clinical community, donors, and alumni for helping to support the program. Second year students also took the opportunity to honour several of clinical faculty with teaching awards:  Best Family Practice Preceptor – Dr. David Hawkins, Best Clinical Skills Preceptor – Dr. Mark Hyslop, and Best PBL Tutors – Rani Behl and Dr. Graeme McCauley.

Thanks to all of our event partners including Scotiabank, Kelowna Medical Society, BC Medical Association, Canadian Medical Association, MD Management, and UBC Development and Alumni Relations.

SMP students Sandy Lou, Ellen Cai, and Matt Mittelstadt sample the menu.

Dr. Jones and Year 2 Class President Alex Bond present teaching award to Rani Behl

Dr. Jones recognizes SMP faculty and staff

Representatives for SIDIT join SMP students for lunch at the Reichwald Health Sciences Centre.

The Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) has provided a grant of $75,000 over three years to fund educational support for SMP students. The contribution will be matched by an anonymous funder, activating a total of $150,000 in bursary support for SMP students. SIDIT’s primary focus is to support economic development projects that will have a lasting and measurable impact for the Southern Interior of BC.  “We are proud to support students in the Southern Medical Program” says Grace McGregor, SIDIT Board Chair. “Our organization feels it is important to support local medical students who will most hopefully return to the Southern Interior as practicing physicians upon completion of their residency training.”

A recent luncheon was hosted by bursary recipients for SIDIT representatives to thank them for supporting their medical education. “Bursaries provide students with much more than financial support,” says Stefano Tolhurst, second year SMP student. “They are instrumental in providing a chance to explore and make connections within the community and allow students to do the best we can to get the most out of our education.”

Students trying to resuscitate SimMan 3G in the Pritchard Simulation Centre.

20 third-year UBC med students are currently completing rotations in Kelowna, Kamloops, Trail, and Vernon. In early February, all of them were brought to the Clinical Academic Campus in Kelowna for the ‘Year 3 Clerkship Boot Camp.’ Working in teams, students were able to connect with their peers and participate in a full day of interactive learning including medical jeopardy, mock code scenarios, practicing IV starts, and airway management. Students had a chance to work with the state-of-the-art ‘SimMan 3G’ patient simulator in the Pritchard Simulation Centre.

Dr. Jones assigned a case study to the teams who had to solve the problem utilizing the Dr. Clifford B. HendersonLibrary.  Dr. Henderson, Kelowna’s first pediatrician, was a special guest for the event and had a few words for the students. “Medicine is a wonderful profession and presents new challenges everyday,” says Dr. Henderson. “You are able to be successful in a lot of things that you do and can continue to improve care for patients.”

Dr. Henderson addresses the third year students.

Students work on question for medical jeopardy.

Dr. Gary Victor, Director of the Medical Teaching Unit at Kelowna General Hospital.

As the Director of the Medical Teaching Unit (MTU) at the Kelowna General Hospital, Dr. Gary Victor oversees the teaching and evaluations for countless residents and students completing internal medicine rotations at the hospital.

The 10-bed MTU at Kelowna General is a prime example of medical education and patient care delivered in unison. Patients usually are admitted from the Emergency Department with undifferentiated diagnoses often involving multiple organ systems.  The education team is then tasked with working through a number of possible scenarios and developing an action plan for each patient.  On most days, the education team consists of a second or third year Internal Medicine resident, a first year family medicine resident, and one or two medical students – all being supervised by an Attending general internist or sub-specialist.

Students are given responsibility for 3 to 4 patients and learn how to take a thorough history, perform a complete physical exam, present cases, develop a management/treatment plan, and follow-up with their patients on a daily basis. The patient’s length of stay can be a few days, weeks or even longer. Specialists are often called upon to consult on these patients and provide recommendations, but ultimately the team decides the priorities and next steps. The MTU also provides educational opportunities for nursing and pharmacy students creating an interprofessional learning environment.

“The key is to maintaining a stimulating environment for all levels of learners,” says Dr. Victor. “Sometimes teaching is done better as a group and sometimes on a one-on-one basis. We really try to emphasize that the approach to problem solving can be different, but the goal remains the same – to care for the patient in the best way possible.”

Starting in the fall of 2013, approximately 24 students from Southern Medical Program’s inaugural class will complete a full year of clinical rotations at KGH in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, emergency medicine, orthopedics, anesthesiology, dermatology, and ophthalmology. The internal medicine rotation consists of eight weeks with students dividing their time between the MTU and ambulatory care clinics.