Dr. Arthur Skotnicki has been appointed the Year 4 Electives Lead for the Southern Medical Program (SMP). Dr. Skotnicki is a general internist at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) and Clinical Instructor with the UBC Department of Medicine’s Division of Community Internal Medicine.

Dr. Skotnicki completed his medical degree at Jagiellonian University Medical College in Poland and internal medicine residency training at Dalhousie University. Since relocating from Nova Scotia to Kelowna in 2018, Dr. Skotnicki has served as a preceptor for UBC students and residents training in internal medicine at KGH. Additionally, he has supported numerous clinical skills and simulation sessions for SMP students.

In his new role, Dr. Skotnicki will help lead the delivery of the Year 4 elective experience throughout the Interior Health region. He will work in close collaboration with the SMP’s Year 4 team in addition to Year 4 Leads from the Island Medical Program, Northern Medical Program, and Vancouver Fraser Medical Program.

The SMP would like to thank Dr. Kirk Lawlor, our outgoing Year 4 Electives Lead. Dr. Lawlor joined the SMP leadership team in 2017 and greatly supported the growth and development of Year 4 electives in the region.

The Reichwald Health Sciences Centre was a flurry of activity last week as the Southern Medical Program (SMP) hosted the seventh annual UBC Okanagan Interdisciplinary Student Health Conference on March 5, 2020.

Attracting a record number of participants, this year’s event featured an engaging diversity of poster presentations from the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences (IKBSAS), Faculty of Health and Development (FHSD), School of Engineering (SOE), Faculty of Medicine (MED), College of Graduate Studies, and BC Cancer – Kelowna. The conference was kicked off by an inspiring lecture from keynote speaker Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, Director for the Centre of Chronic Disease Prevention and Management.

“The conference provides an opportunity for students – many for the first time – to submit abstracts, prepare posters, and present to an adjudication team,” says Diane Oorebeek, SMP Research Manager.  “The quality of presentations is indicative of the excellent research taking place here in the Okanagan.”

Congratulations to the 2020 winning presenters:

Science
Mariana Gutierrez Salazar (MED)
Ascending Aortic Length, Rather than Diameter, is Associated with Type A Aortic Dissection

Population & Public Health
Patricia Massel (MED)
Healthcare Provider’s Perspectives on the Challenges of Medical Travel in Northwestern BC

Medical Technology
Andrew Nicholson (SOE), Joan Brewer (IKBSAS), Reece Walsh (IKBSAS)
X-ray Vision: Seeing Radiation from Medical Procedures

Quality Improvement / Evaluation
Kaitlin Toplak (MED)
Assurance of Timely Access to Diagnostics and Treatment by Local Breast Health Clinic

Patient Intervention
Liisa Wainman (MED)
A Breath of Fresh Air: Acute Intermittent Hypoxia Shows Promise to Improve Cardiovascular and Ventilatory Function in Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

Social / Educational Aspects of Health
Carley Paterson (IKBSAS)
Self-efficacy as a predictor of early semester distress in university students

Media and Health
Angela Leung (FHSD), Noman Mohammad (IKBSAS)
Smoke-free Dads: A game changer for better health

The Canadian Association for Medical Education (CAME) has recognized Dr. Carmen Larsen with the 2020 CAME Certificate of Merit Award. The annual award celebrates faculty from medical schools from across Canada for their contributions to medical education.

Since 2014, Dr. Larsen has served as the Site Director for the Vernon Integrated Community Clerkship (ICC) Program and a champion for medical education in the community. She also serves as a preceptor for ICC students at Vernon Jubilee Hospital in addition to Portfolio Coach for Year 2 students in Kelowna. Dr. Larsen recently served as co-chair of the Consortium of Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (CLIC), an international medical conference focused on the pedagogy of longitudinal integrated clerkships.

Through her leadership, Dr. Larsen has fostered a tremendous learning environment for UBC students and been an advocate for physician wellness.

“The Southern Medical Program has offered me multiple opportunities to train and mentor our next wave of skilled, rural physicians, both in primary care and in specialty practice,” says Dr. Larsen. “I’m very honoured to receive this award and hope it inspires other rural physicians to invest in the future of health care in the periphery.”

Dr. Chris West is a research scientist with the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management and Assistant Professor with the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and ICORD. Check out our Q & A with Dr. West.

What questions are you seeking to answer through your research? 

My laboratory is studying the mechanisms that underpin the reduction in cardiovascular and pulmonary function that occurs following high-level spinal cord injury, and is also focused on developing and testing interventions aimed at restoring cardiovascular and pulmonary function.

How did you become interested in this field?

My interest in the field stems from my early involvement with wheelchair rugby in the UK where I completed my graduate training. From the first time I studied the exercise responses of wheelchair rugby athletes I became fascinated with the underlying physiology of spinal injuries.

Where do you see your work having the greatest impact?

The two main areas I see my work having the greatest impact are on the hemodynamic management of acutely injured individuals as well as in those individuals with high-level SCI who use wheelchairs living in the local community.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love all outdoor activities and particularly enjoy running trails with my two dogs. As a father to an active two-year old I also enjoy a range of outdoor activities with my family including camping, hiking, and cross-country skiing.

Name: Lori Marshall

Occupation: Retired Dental Hygienist

How long have you been a Volunteer Patient? I have been a Volunteer Patient since the Southern Medical Program began in 2011.

Why did you decide to volunteer? I decided to volunteer because I have always been interested in the health field and enjoy working with students who have such high aspirations in this field.

What do you enjoy most about being a Volunteer Patient? Being a Volunteer Patient is one way that I can contribute with helping these students learn anatomy and medical procedures in this demanding career.

What is the most interesting thing you have learned? I am especially excited about the increased use of ultrasound with diagnosing medical issues and am pleased to often be a Volunteer Patient for ultrasound sessions.

To learn more about how to get involved with the Southern Medical Program’s Patient Programs, visit https://smp.med.ubc.ca/community-engagement.

Southern Medical Program students (L-R) Brendan Lim, Talia Del Medico, Brianna Creelman, Conor Barrie, Allyssa Hooper, and Brayden Fishbook along with Scotiabank Business Advisor Christy St. Jean present a cheque to Hope Air patient ambassador Ty.

Nearly 100 golfers and guests participated in the eighth annual Southern Medical Program (SMP) Student Golf Tournament in support of rural health.

Organized by members of the SMP Class of 2022, the tournament brought together members and friends of the Okanagan medical community for nine holes of golf, tons of prizes, dinner, and a silent auction. In partnership with the event’s title sponsor Scotiabank, the students raised over $20,000 for Hope Air to help patients.

Hope Air is Canada’s only national charity providing free travel and accommodations for Canadians in financial need who must access medical care far from home. In 2019, the charity arranged 1,763 flights for patients to attend vital medical appointments and treatments in and out of Kelowna alone.

“Our organizing committee was thrilled to set a new fundraising record for this event,” says Brendan Lim, second-year medical student. “We’re truly grateful to help support patients from rural communities access the care they need.”

“The funds raised will provide approximately 81 flights for people to attend the medical appointments that will save their lives and diagnoses that will give them answers,” says Alanna Scott, Hope Air, Vice President of Development. “The generous support from the student golf tournament demonstrates a remarkable commitment to the health of patients.”

The students would like to thank Scotiabank and the numerous other local Okanagan companies for individual hole sponsorships and donating silent auction items. The next tournament will be held in the fall of 2020.

The Healthcare Travelling Roadshow is seeking healthcare students and recent graduates to help recruit the next generation of rural healthcare professionals.

Join us for a week-long road trip to rural BC to showcase career options to high school students and connect with community stakeholders and local healthcare professionals.

We have four exciting roadshows planned for May 2020:

• Okanagan Roadshow (Summerland, Oliver, Osoyoos) – May 3 to 9, 2020
• Peace River Roadshow (Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Tumbler Ridge) – May 3 to 9, 2020
• Bulkley Nechako Roadshow (Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Southside, Houston, Hazelton) – May 10 to 16, 2020
• Island Roadshow (Ladysmith, Port Alberni, Ucluelet, Ahoushat) – May 3 to 9, 2020

All travel, accommodation, and meal expenses are covered for participants. Interprofessional Education Passport credits are also available.

Click here to apply online. Application deadline is February 24, 2020.

The Healthcare Travelling Roadshow is delivered in partnership with the University of Northern British Columbia, UBC Faculty of Medicine, Northern Medical Programs Trust, Rural Education Action Plan, Interior Health, and Island Health.

Since its inception in 2010, the Healthcare Travelling Roadshow has connected with more than 10,500 high school students in 56 communities throughout BC. For more info, visit https://www.unbc.ca/northern-medical-program/healthcare-travelling-roadshow or contact Warren Brock at warren.brock@ubc.ca or 250-807-8601.

The 2020 UBC Okanagan Interdisciplinary Student Health Conference showcases exciting new research and public health experiences from UBC Okanagan students and BC Cancer – Kelowna interns.

Hosted by the Southern Medical Program, join local researchers and healthcare professionals for an engaging evening of knowledge exchange. Keynote address provided by Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, Director for the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management

March 5, 2020
5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Reichwald Health Sciences Centre, UBC Okanagan
1088 Discovery Avenue, Kelowna, BC

5:30 pm Welcome & Keynote Address
6:30 pm Poster Presentations
8:15 pm Awards & Closing

For more information, visit the conference webpage.

The Southern Medical Program officially welcomed the SMP Class of 2023 to UBC Okanagan in early January. Meet first-year student Aashka Jani.

Name:  Aashka Jani
Hometown: Prince George, BC

Why did you choose a career in medicine?
I have been interested in the human body and science for as long as I can remember. It all honestly probably started with a doctor kit my parents gifted me when I was younger which fostered my interest in all things medicine. My undergraduate and volunteering experiences were formative in my desire to be in the health care field. However, it wasn’t until I experienced the health care system from a patient perspective, through family members and myself, that I truly wanted to be a physician. Seeing the differences in care depending on where you are in the world or even where you are in one country, harnessed my interests in being able to provide equitable care and remove barriers to access.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
One of my favorite things to do in my spare time is have game nights with family and friends. In addition, I love reading books and having a good Netflix binge.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
There are so many places I want to travel! I’ve been flying around the world since I was a little over a year old so it’s something that I want to continue doing. I love experiencing new cultures and taking in new sights. Overall though, my favorite part of traveling is being with my family or friends and getting to explore new places with them. Next on my list right now are Southeast Asia and Iceland.

What are you most looking forward to about training with the Southern Medical Program?
I am excited for the smaller class size at SMP! Having gone to a smaller university, I really valued the close connections I was able to form with peers and mentors, and I look forward to doing the same in Kelowna.

The Southern Medical Program officially welcomed the SMP Class of 2023 to UBC Okanagan in early January. Meet first-year student Brian Hayes.

Name:  Brian Hayes
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta

Why did you choose a career in medicine?
I was originally drawn to medicine through a combination of fascination with the work of MSF and the repeated treatment I received from sports-related injuries growing up. As I progressed through my undergraduate degree in Kinesiology, I developed a fascination with the function/dysfunction of the human body. This was further complimented through my various jobs as a server, personal trainer, first aid instructor and tutor, where I consistently enjoyed helping/supporting individuals. Through my time working outside of school, and my additional pursuit of an MSc, life has consistently steered me back towards medicine.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
My primary pursuits outside of academics are music and backcountry sports. I have sang with various a cappella groups in Vancouver for the past seven years and I play guitar and piano, so I’m looking forward to finding a new musical community in Kelowna! In terms of backcountry sports, I spend as much time hiking, backpacking and camping as I can in the summers and have snowboarded for over 10 years. More recently, I have started mountaineering and would love to get into splitboarding.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
I would travel either to the Himalayas or to Patagonia. I underwent ACL construction four years ago, recovering enough to complete my first big trek in the Italian Dolomites three years later. I absolutely loved the combination of physical challenge, amazing views and unique adventures that come with mountain trekking, and with my history of knee injuries I want to pursue more treks in the near future while my body still allows!

What are you most looking forward to about training with the Southern Medical Program?
For me, it’s a combination of small class sizes with more direct faculty relations and the draw of being away from larger cities like Vancouver. I’m looking forward to learning in major treatment centers, such as in Kelowna itself, and in environments that are smaller and more fluid in their structure and physician roles.