Rivers a part of Rural Week

Details

Published on Friday, June 3, 2016

By Blaine Kraushaar

Communications Co-ordinator

First-year medical students enrolled in University of Manitoba’s (U of M) Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine are preparing to spread out across rural and northern Manitoba during Rural Week (May 23-27). Rural Week 2016, co-ordinated by Manitoba’s Office of Rural and Northern Health (ORNH), U of M and rural regional health authorities, will provide an excellent opportunity for 110 medical students to gain first-hand experience of how a rural and northern Manitoba medical practice functions. It also doubles by extolling the benefits of working and living in a rural/northern Manitoba area. 

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) is once again an active partner throughout the week— with 35 medical students assigned to 13 communities within the health region. Communities participating this year include Boissevain/Deloraine, Brandon, Dauphin, Hamiota, Neepawa, Rivers, Russell, Souris, Ste. Rose, Swan River, Treherne and Virden. 

PMH director of medical services administration Michelle McKay says the event is a “win-win” all the way around. 

“Students participate in a variety of rural physician practices, spend time at wards and units at rural health centres, and in most cases, tag along with a doc to see how their day unfolds. We really appreciate the opportunity to highlight communities, medical facilities and sites within the region in the hopes that some of these up and coming physicians will eventually select to live and work in rural Manitoba.”

Wayne Heide, administrative director of ORNH, says part of the organization’s goal is to expose medical students to rural practice/rural life and show them the diversity that exists. 

“Rural Manitoba offers tremendous opportunity for a rewarding career and a great lifestyle, but it is only through direct experiences like Rural Week that students become aware of the possibilities. For urban-origin students this may be their first real experience with rural life. For those from rural areas it is a chance to reinforce the positive aspects of rural life and to connect them to medical professionals that have chosen to practice rurally. There are also lifestyle itineraries set up so students take part in everything from fishing expeditions to recreational activities as well as learn about unique community festivals, events and claims to fame!” 

McKay adds, “Prairie Mountain Health very much appreciates the efforts of all of the physician preceptors, health care professionals and community volunteers to ensure Rural Week meets its goal and objectives.” 

Some communities are organizing a spirited Walk with Your Doc day, including Rivers which will be held Friday, May 27 at 1 p.m., beginning at the health centre. Local residents join medical students, physicians and other health care professionals and staff in a healthy walk throughout their community as part of Rural Week. The initiative began in Rivers in 2013 and was led by Riverdale District Health Auxiliary and Healthy Rivers. Since then, other PMH communities have jumped on board and will be featuring similar walks this year including Dauphin, Hamiota and Swan River. 

Rural Week first started in Manitoba in 2003 as an optional experience, although it was selected by 70 per cent of the medicine class. In 2004 Rural Week was officially approved as a component of the Medical 1 curriculum and now the entire class spends one week within rural and northern Manitoba communities.