The people of Northern Ontario—some 800,000—need more than 350 doctors just to fill immediate shortages. It’s hard to imagine, but statistically, people in the North live shorter, less healthy lives than people in the south. As Canada’s first-ever independent medical university, NOSM University is doing everything it can to help marshal doctors to where they’re needed most.

The NOSM University General Bursary – MD provides financial aid to NOSM University medical students. Medical students at NOSM University graduate with nearly twice the debt of students at other medical schools in Canada. It’s not because we’re more expensive: it’s because we recruit from the North, for the North, and typically, people in the region don’t have access to the same financial and social means as students in the south.  

Learn more about our important work to train doctors for Northern Ontario.

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Support resident doctors—your future physicians 

NOSM University is on a mission to create a healthier Northern Ontario. Improving health equity begins with training doctors to stay in the North. However, this process is time consuming and costly. After medical students graduate with their MD, they must complete residency training. This training, which takes two to nine years, is how they become a practicing family physician or specialist. The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada reports that medical school graduates have approximately “$84,172 for medical school expenses and $80,516 of non-education related debt” prior to entering into residency programs for more specialized training.  

Medical students at NOSM University graduate with nearly twice the debt of students at other medical schools in Canada. It’s not because we’re more expensive: it’s because we recruit from the North, for the North, and typically, people in the region don’t have access to the same financial and social means as students in the south. 

This is where you come in. NOSM University resident doctors need your support. 

The NOSM University General Postgraduate Bursary provides residents with extra financial support as they begin their training. Although residency is paid, the cost of living remains high across the North. The medical resident endowed bursary fund will go to reducing the financial burden of physician training. 

NOSM University’s residency programs train physicians in family medicine, pediatrics, general surgery, and more. Importantly, 57 per cent of the medical residents who have completed their postgraduate training with NOSM University have stayed in Northern Ontario to practice.  

You can help us continue training more doctors in the North, for the North by donating to this bursary fund. By donating, you are helping current residents succeed and contributing to improving health equity across Northern Ontario.  

If you would like more information about starting a bursary for medical residents in your name, please contact our Advancement office at advancement@nosm.ca.   

You can also donate to the medical resident endowed bursary fund below.  

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The Maureen Lacroix Francophone Bursary was established in 2007 to support Francophone learners at NOSM University, in recognition of Maureen Lacroix’s commitment to improving healthcare in Francophone communities across Northern Ontario. This bursary aims to alleviate the financial challenges these students face while encouraging their academic success. By investing in future Francophone healthcare professionals, the bursary helps strengthen access to care in regions where Francophone language and culture play a crucial role. It stands as a lasting tribute to Maureen Lacroix’s dedication to the community.

La Bourse francophone Maureen Lacroix a été établie (2007)pour soutenir les apprenants francophones de l’Université NOSM, en reconnaissance de l’engagement de Maureen Lacroix envers l’amélioration des soins de santé dans les communautés francophones du Nord de l’Ontario. Cette bourse vise à alléger les défis financiers auxquels ces étudiants font face tout en encourageant leur réussite académique. En investissant dans les futurs professionnels de la santé francophones, cette bourse aide à renforcer l’accès aux soins dans les régions où la langue et la culture francophones jouent un rôle crucial. Elle est un témoignage durable de l’héritage de Maureen Lacroix et de son dévouement envers la communauté.

Donations support an Indigenous medical student at NOSM University and the Indigenous Educational Initiatives fund.

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