Published On: May 27, 2024
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry students will begin their learning and training with St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH) during Discovery Week 2024, marking the 26th anniversary of this outstanding partnership.
The medical students’ placement stems from an ongoing partnership with Schulich Medicine, based at Western University in London, Ont. For the past 26 years, as part of Discovery Week, all first-year medical students have participated in immersive, one-week placements in health-care settings across Southwestern Ontario.
During this week-long placement at STEGH, medical students will be exposed to teamwork and collaboration undertaken within a rural/regional site and will have exciting opportunities to discover all the community has to offer.
“It gives me great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to the first-year medical students from Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry as they embark on their Discovery Week experience with us,” says Dr. Waleed Chehadi, Chief of Staff at STEGH. “Throughout the week, these future physicians will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in daily healthcare delivery, and gain invaluable insights into the complexities and rewards of medical practice. More importantly, they will have the chance to connect with our patients, healthcare professionals, and the array of people who reside in St. Thomas and Elgin County.”
“After getting a taste of life and medicine in a rural or regional community through opportunities like Discovery Week, many Schulich medical students return to practise upon completion of their training,” said Dr. Victor Ng, Assistant Dean, Distributed Education, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.
“We’re so grateful to collaborate with partners who welcome our medical students and give them unparalleled first-hand training experiences in their communities,” said Dr. Ng. “Working together, we’re creating a cohort of physicians who are ready, willing and able to care for people across Ontario in a variety of settings.”
This week, 14 Schulich medical students became temporary members of the St. Thomas community, giving them the opportunity to meet patients, experience the unique health-care systems and interact with colleagues –getting a fulsome experience of what a day in the life of a local health-care provider looks like in St. Thomas.
During Discovery Week 2024, more than 170 Schulich Medicine students will be placed in 31 participating communities, from Owen Sound to Windsor-Essex and Woodstock to Lake Huron.