NOSM University Celebrates Giving Tuesday with Focus on Charter Class Bursary and the Future of Northern Medicine

On December 3, 2024, NOSM University invites you to participate in Giving Tuesday, a global celebration about giving back in support of the causes closest to our hearts. In Northern Ontario, supporting better access to health care closer to home is a cause we can all champion.

In anticipation of our 20th anniversary in 2025, NOSM University will focus support for this Giving Tuesday on the 2009 Charter Class Bursary.

By contributing to the 2009 NOSM University Charter Class Bursary, donors can help to alleviate the financial burden on future medical learners and ensure that MD students from the North have the opportunity to pursue their goals and dreams.

Did you know?

• On average, since our inception in 2005, 91 per cent of our MD students have come from Northern Ontario.
• Medical students from Northern Ontario graduate from NOSM University with about twice the debt load as their peers from other medical schools across Canada. This is not because education here costs more; rather, it is because many Northern MD students at NOSM University do not have access to the same financial and social means as students in the South.
• Of those NOSM University medical students and learners who complete both an undergraduate degree and residency training in Northern Ontario, about 90 per cent stay to practise medicine in the region.
• Since our first class of MDs graduated in 2009, about 400,000 people in Northern Ontario—about half the population of the region—have been helped by a NOSM University graduate.

“Financial barriers for MD students in the North are something we can tackle together,” says Dr. Michael Green, President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean, and CEO of NOSM University. “Helping to offset the tuition of a deserving Northern MD student will help to strengthen the health-care workforce in the North and, over time, improve access to care for all. I hope we can count you in.”

‘Tis the season to give back. To learn more about Giving Tuesday and how you can support the 2009 NOSM Charter Class Bursary, please visit the NOSM University website page dedicated to Giving Tuesday or contact the university’s development office at advancement@nosm.ca.

-30-

NOSM University is Canada’s first independent medical university and one of the greatest education and physician workforce strategy success stories of Northern Ontario. More than just a medical university, it was purpose-built to address the health needs of the region. While advocating for equitable access to care, the university contributes to the economic development of Northern Ontario. NOSM University relies on the commitment and expertise of the peoples of Northern Ontario to educate health-care professionals to practise in Indigenous, Francophone, rural, remote, and underserved communities. With a focus on diversity, inclusion, and advocacy, NOSM University is an award-winning, socially accountable organization renowned for its innovative model of distributed, community-engaged education and research.

For further information or an interview opportunity, please contact: news@nosm.ca.