‘Rural Week’ for medical students set for end of May
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- Published on Sunday, May 27, 2018
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Neepawa Banner & Press
First-year medical students from the University of Manitoba’s (U of M) Max Rady College of Medicine (Rady Faculty of Health Sciences) are once again preparing to spread out across rural and northern Manitoba during the annual “Rural Week” (May 28-June 1).
Rural Week 2018, coordinated by the Manitoba HealthCare Providers Network (MHCPN), the University and rural regional health authorities, provides opportunity for 114 medical students to gain first-hand experience of how rural and northern Manitoba medical practices function. It also doubles by extolling the many 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 33 medical students assigned to 12 communities within the health region. Communities participating this year include Brandon, Dauphin, Hamiota, Killarney, Neepawa, Rivers, Russell, Souris, Ste. Rose, Swan River, Treherne and Virden.
Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Kelvin Goertzen says the government supports efforts like Rural Week that are part of ongoing health care recruitment and retention strategies taking place province-wide.
“This is a tremendous initiative that provides great benefit to medical students,” Goertzen said. “They get valuable hands- on work experience through the clinical pieces and our health partners promote their communities as a great place to live and work. Work-life balance is such an important part of this which is evidenced by students participating in everything from fishing expeditions, nature hikes and recreational activities to learning about unique community events, festivals and other celebrated activities.”
PMH Director of Medical Services, 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 week unfolds,” McKay said. “We really appreciate the opportunity to highlight communities, medical facilities and sites within the health region in the hopes that some of these up and coming physicians eventually select to live and work in rural Manitoba.”
McKay adds that 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.
MHCPN Project Coordinator Wayne Heide says part of the organization’s goal is to provide medical students with exposure to the diversity that exists across rural settings.
“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,” Heide stated. “For students from an ‘urban-origin’ this may be their first real experience with rural life. For those from rural areas, it’s a chance to reinforce the positive aspects of rural life and to connect them to medical professionals that have chosen to practice rurally.”
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.
