News
NOSM Hosts International Recruit and Retain Conference
Northern European Countries to Learn From Canada's Strategies to Attract Health Professionals to Underserviced Areas Recruiting and retaining health-care professionals for rural and remote communities is an ongoing challenge in many parts of the world. Beginning today, Canada's Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is hosting an international conference aimed at sharing strategies for attracting health-care professionals and other public sector workers to underserved areas. The conference will conclude on Friday, January 17, 2014. The Canadian Recruit and Retain Conference, taking place in Thunder Bay, Ontario, brings togethe...
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NOSM Faculty Conduct Research to Improve Patient Care
On Thursday, November 28, 2013, faculty of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) presented their innovative research projects at a provincial showcase in Toronto. Titled "Innovation Fund Showcase 2013: From Innovation to Practice," the showcase featured a selection of research projects being led by academic physicians committed to transforming healthcare delivery in Ontario. The conference was a joint initiative of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and the Ontario Medical Association. The showcase highlighted projects that have been funded by the Innovation Fund - a pool of funding that was established to enc...
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NOSM Board Holds Face-to-Face Meeting in Thunder Bay
Exemplary Learners, Faculty and Preceptors Recognized by NOSM Board The Board of Directors of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) held a face-to-face meeting in Thunder Bay on November 28 and 29, 2013. On the first day of the two-day meeting, Board members were provided a tour of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), led by TBRHSC's Andrée Robichaud, President and CEO; Tracie Smith, Senior Director, Communications and Engagement; and, Karen Anderson, Academic Liaison Coordinator. The TBRHSC is a state-of-the-art acute care facility and teaching hospital where NOSM medical students and residents unde...
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NOSM Faculty and Learners Honoured by the College of Family Physicians of Canada
On Saturday, November 9, 2013, faculty and learners of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) were presented with a variety of awards of distinction for their dedication and contribution to family medicine. These awards were presented at the College of Family Physicians of Canada's (CFPC) national conference, the Family Medicine Forum, held in Vancouver, BC. It is with great excitement that NOSM announces the following accolades: NOSM's Medical Director of Faculty Development, Dr. James Goertzen of Thunder Bay, Ontario was awarded the highly prestigious Ian McWhinney Family Medicine Education Award. NOSM Assistant Prof...
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Roger Strasser Reappointed as Dean of NOSM Until 2019
Dr. Roger Strasser, Dean of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, has been reappointed for a non-renewable five-year term as Dean beginning on July 1, 2014 and ending June 30, 2019. Dr. Strasser's renewal was recommended by a 14 member Review Committee composed of members nominated by the Boards of NOSM, Laurentian University and Lakehead University, the Senates of Laurentian University and Lakehead University, NOSM's Academic Council, and NOSM's Executive Group. The recommendation to renew Dr. Strasser for an additional five-year term was approved by the Boards of NOSM, Laurentian University and Lakehead University. Since ta...
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NOSM Hosts Delegation from Northern Sweden
From October 7-9, 2013, NOSM hosted a delegation of medical educators and health service administrators who travelled from Northern Sweden to learn from NOSM's successful model of distributed, socially accountable medical education and research. Communities in Northern Sweden are experiencing severe shortages of health professionals. The north of Sweden encompasses 50 percent of the country's geography, but holds only 10 percent of the population. Approximately 30 to 40 percent of family physician positions are vacant in the region - a problem that educators and administrators are having a difficult time addressing. Comprised of me...
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NOSM Researchers Developing Fast Way to Screen Lakes for Blue-Green Algae
Cyanobacteria, known commonly as blue-green algae, pose a significant health risk for Northern Ontarians, especially for those who draw on lakes for summer recreation or drinking water. Exposure to cyanobacteria can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and numb limbs, among other symptoms. For these reasons, many waterways in Northern Ontario face closures due to the growth of blue-green algae blooms. Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) researcher Dr. Joe Eibl, in collaboration with Gerry Dignard of Canadian Shield Consultants, are currently developing a new, faster method of screening lake...
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Eight Departing Board Members Thanked for Contributions to NOSM Governance
The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) held its Annual Members and Board of Directors meetings on Wednesday, September 18, 2013. These meetings were video-linked between the School's West Campus at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and its East Campus at Laurentian University in Sudbury, with other Directors participating via teleconference. The following members were thanked for their significant contribution to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, as their terms completed September 18, 2013: Dr. Roy Christopher Allison Ms. Tracy Buckler Mr. Derek Debassige Ms. Jacqueline Dojack Ms. Debbie Lipscombe M...
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