19th Northern Medical Program graduates 27 doctors

“The idea of a broad scope of practice is what appeals to me,” says recent NMP Graduate, Dr. Bella de Goeij. “And I heard a lot about the Northern Medical Program and that they offer a lot of that hands on, practical experience. And I’m super happy that I did school here.”

And that rural focus has become even greater now.

“We’ve put in new placements in our curriculum for learners to go into just about all communities across the North, for periods of up to a year and many for six months,” says Dr. Winwood.

“So, I actually got to go down to Trail and work there for a year during my third year and throughout my training in the first two years here, I got to spend time in Vanderhoof, and I got to spend time in Quesnel, and learn from all the wonderful preceptors there. And I’ve also had the opportunity throughout my fourth year to do electives in places like Nunavut and like way up in the Arctic in the North.”

The program is changing to adapt to the times in a trio of ways.

“The first thing is that a third of them are going into residency programs in northern BC, and that’s as many as we’ve ever had in any year. The second thing is that we did start a pilot for what we call the Northern Regional Integrated Clerkship, with this year, where they go out to much smaller communities for six months of their clerkship. Just three students did this as a pilot, and they are all staying in the North,” notes Dr. Winwood.

The third is a new rural, Indigenous family medicine program, of which one student availed themselves. And he says the predominant specialty is pediatrics.

by Cheryl Jahn

19th Northern Medical Program graduates 27 doctors

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