This past academic year has been a particularly special year for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM). In May and June, I was pleased to witness and take part in the first graduation of students from the M.D. program, and the first completion of residency training by 20 residents from NOSM’s Family Medicine Residents of the Canadian Shield (FMRoCS) program. These celebrations, which unfolded over the course of a week (May 28 to June 5, 2009), clearly demonstrated the level of interest and depth of commitment Northerners have for their new medical school and the men and women who are our learners.
Hundreds of people gathered in Thunder Bay and Sudbury to commemorate these firsts during public celebrations; many more participated in welcoming students and staff to various community events across Northern Ontario.
Of special note were the hooding ceremonies. This time honoured-tradition acknowledged the achievements of our M.D. students and, through the administration of the Hippocratic Oath, reminded them of the obligations and high standard of behaviour of their chosen profession. Following opening remarks by guest speakers Dr. Peter Neelands in Thunder Bay and Dr. Bill McMullen in Sudbury, students were called before the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education, Dr. Joel Lanphear, to receive their hoods. In one of my most rewarding moments as NOSM Dean, I had the honour of congratulating each and every new graduate, the very first physicians to complete the M.D. program at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
In addition to the planned ceremonies, numerous touching and occasionally unexpected moments enriched the extraordinary distinction of these milestones.
Pleasant surprise
One pleasant surprise came when one of the two buses travelling to learner-hosting communities made an impromptu visit to Sacred Heart School in Espanola. Why the stop? Charter Class graduate Todd Spencer, who was travelling on the bus, wished to say hello to his two sons studying there and draw them into the excitement of the celebrations. This stop delighted his boys, and the students and the staff of the school, especially when it was discovered that a picture of Todd was included on the side of the bus, which was branded with a montage of NOSM images. This stop also attracted local media attention when a reporter, shopping at a local corner store, saw the NOSM bus come through town!
Meanwhile, along the northern Highway 11 bus route, NOSM students and staff also visited communities to show their appreciation for learning opportunities during clinical placements in the M.D. program. In Kapuskasing, the NOSM contingent was deeply impressed by the generosity extended by the family of one of our physician teachers. In yet another surprise, this second bus, also branded with images of NOSM and Northern Ontario, toured the streets of Kirkland Lake and stopped at the front door of another graduate’s family home. Graduate Tracey Ross’ mother was delighted at the sight of her daughter accompanied by a retinue of friends and colleagues descending onto the lawn. In each and every community, in Thunder Bay to Sudbury, and all stops in between, NOSM visitors were extended the warmest welcome and hospitality, and presented with delicious meals, gifts and words of congratulation.
As dean of NOSM, I personally took great joy in receiving, on behalf of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, two works of original art from the Charter Class. These metal works each depict lone trees reaching out into the Northern sky, and to me, they capture the spirit of the first M.D. graduates. The unique individuals making up NOSM’s Charter Class have been true leaders and established the way for future physicians with a particular understanding of the North’s health determinants and its distinct populations. And now these individuals are themselves reaching new heights as they continue their education in postgraduate programs in Northern Ontario and across the country.
Of course, milestone celebrations would not have been complete without the direct participation of our students and residents. Graduating physicians Safiya Adam and Jonathon DellaVedova, and completing residents of the Family Medicine program, Aaron Orkin and Michael Bodnar gave moving, passionate, and sometimes hilarious accounts of their medical education and training in communities across Northern Ontario.
Accolades
The accolades from public officials at all levels of government underscore the widespread support for NOSM. Via video messages delivered throughout the milestone celebrations, Premier Dalton McGuinty, and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care David Caplan joined a host of mayors, ministers, and the presidents of Laurentian and Lakehead Universities to pay tribute to NOSM’s first graduates and residents.
The week of NOSM’s milestone celebrations saw family, friends, staff, faculty, clinical physician teachers, allied health professionals, community partners, politicians, donors, and others from across Northern Ontario come together in a chorus of congratulations. The collective optimism for the future of these pioneering physicians and the health of people and communities across the North was unmistakable and exceptionally inspiring to all who participated. These celebrations, including many special moments and numerous generous acts of support, were a fitting realization of the NOSM dream shared by so many.
