In the Spotlight

A message to learners,

From Dr. Jonathan DellaVedova, Wellness Lead Clinician, NOSM Postgraduate Medical Education: Each December I am grateful for the twinkling lights, comforting foods and Christmas party invites. A festival of lights and togetherness seems fitting during this darkest time of year. December can be difficult, especially when the connections aren’t there and the sheen of the holidays fails to live up to its promise. We residents and doctors also sacrifice our own restoration time so others can be merry. Last December we faced our most difficult period as a school when we sadly lost one of our own. A counsellor here in Sault Ste. Marie ...

Mental health tips for NOSM medical students

If you're feeling overwhelmed, please reach out. NOSM is here to help. Nick Alderton is a Senior Learner Affairs Officer at NOSM who also holds a Masters in Applied Sports Psychology from the University of Ottawa. His forte is counseling high calibre athletes, and he draws parallels between them and the high achieving medical students he sees at his day job. Both thrive on competition and pressure to perform and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Here are a few of his tips for helping manage mental health: 1. Be self-aware and recognize the signs of high anxiety and stress. “There’s a variety of different reasons wh...

The unique perspective of a dietetic learner

Tayler Sorensen said he always knew he wanted to pursue a career in health care and his own personal health experience motivated him to do so. “I have type 1 diabetes. When you’re first diagnosed as a diabetic it’s kind of a scary process,” Sorensen explains. “It’s a slow process of learning, so if you have a good support system through your health-care team there are many teachings you can take from it.” Sorensen applied to NOSM’s Northern Ontario Dietetic Internship Program (NODIP) after completing a Bachelor of Science in Foods and Nutrition and Kinesiology at the University of Prince Edward Island. ...