Program gives students a taste of rural medicine

Students with Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry received a taste of working in a rural hospital during Discovery Week. Left to right are: Lauren Ling, Mitchell Pallister, Lana Yacoub and John Wayne Eugenio. (Jeff Helsdon Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

A program designed to give medical students a taste of rural medicine may result in future doctors locating in Tillsonburg.

Four medical students from Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry spent last week in Tillsonburg as part of the 28th annual Discovery Week. The program raised awareness about rural medicine.

Lana Yacoub of Windsor had not considered rural medicine before last week, but it is now a consideration after she was impressed by the community's closeness and how physicians interact with patients.

“The team dynamics are different than in a bigger hospital like University Hospital,” she said.

Lauren Ling, originally from Toronto, had similar sentiments.

“The pace feels a little different than I experience in larger hospitals in large cities,” she said, adding she is impressed with how kind the staff and patients were. “I feel if you work in a community setting, it’s easier to feel you are making an impact.”

Ling had not considered working in a rural location, but now may.

“This experience has definitely opened my eyes to what rural medicine has to offer, or community medicine in general,” she said.

Tillsonburg is a little closer to Mitchell Pallister, who grew up in Shedden, on the west side of St. Thomas. Rural medicine was on his radar. He liked the idea of helping people in small communities who don’t have access to facilities in larger cities.

“Maybe I’m not as open to family medicine, but could see myself as a hospitalist or in internal medicine in a rural setting,” he said, adding he spent time working with Dr. Carroll Harder in emergency and was impressed.

John Wayne Eugenio completed his education as a registered nurse before applying to medical school, and his first clinical placement was in Tillsonburg. He noticed many differences at that time, saying in particular, he noted, “How productive a small town can be with limited resources. The community has to come together, and everyone has to wear many hats.”

Discovery Week including rotations in the operating room, ER, clinics, surgical and orthopedic departments. Along with their counterparts who were experiencing Discovery Week in Woodstock and Ingersoll, the students visited a dairy farm. At the end of the week, each student had to complete a video assignment.

Rural Roads Health Services President and CEO Nadia Facca explained that small hospitals have a different pace, allowing for better explanations and more time spent with patients.

“It’s important in the first year before they get their minds set on other things,” she said of the program.

Facca said there is evidence the program works.

“A lot of it is gaining awareness of rural medicine,” she said.