Stratford Medical Centre, Stratford

SITE DIRECTOR BIO

Dr. Matt MacDonald is a dedicated family medicine practitioner who chose Stratford as the ideal place to deliver comprehensive healthcare. His educational journey, from undergraduate studies to medical school and residency training, was all accomplished through Western University and Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.  

Dr. MacDonald has been with the Stratford Family Health Team since 2013. He acted as Chair of the Board from 2017-2023, overseeing many advancements in his group of 15 doctors. He actively participated in the application and establishment of the Huron Perth & Area Ontario Health Team, a vital initiative to improve the healthcare landscape in the region. He has introduced multiple projects to improve access to digital health solutions for patients and practitioners.

Over the years, Dr. MacDonald has held special interest in various elements of his practice including Addiction Medicine (Opioid Use Disorder Clinic), Mental Health, Minor Surgical Procedures and Palliative Care. He is also involved with local medical assistance in death (MAiD) assessments and procedures.

Outside of medicine, Dr. MacDonald enjoys travel, music and one day, he hopes to have a better relationship with ChatGPT for the completion of future bios.

TRAINING SITE/PRACTICE DESCRIPTION

Stratford (http://www.welcometostratford.com/) is a charming Victorian municipality situated about 45 minutes (by car) from London.  With a population of 30,000 it is Canada’s Premier Arts Town with the famous Stratford Festival and its Shakespearean plays

Stratford General Hospital (http://www.hpha.ca) is part of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance and will be the place where the majority of specialty experiences take place.

The family medicine training site is the Stratford Medical Center, staffed by a group of enthusiastic teachers with a wide variety of clinical interests.  The practice is a Family Health Organization and a part of the Stratford Family Health Team (SFHT). There is a satellite site in Milverton including a Long-term Care Facility. 

PATIENT PROFILE

Typical semi-urban/rural population consisting of patients of all ages. Patient profile includes: adult medicine, geriatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, counseling/psychology, pediatrics/wellbaby care, with a 50:50 split male:female. There is a significant Anabaptist population in the area (especially Milverton) providing residents with exposure to culturally sensitive health services.  

DEMOGRAPHICS

  • Beautiful municipality situated approximately 45 minutes from London

  • Population of 30,000

  • Training site is the Stratford Medical Centre and hospital work is done out of the 170-bed Stratford General Hospital, only five minutes away

  • One of the Top 21 Intelligent Communities around the globe and top travel destinations in the country

  • Home to the world-famous Stratford Shakespeare Festival and is a culinary mecca in Ontario

INTERESTS OF FACULTY

  • Sports medicine
  • Hospital care
  • Minor Surgical Procedures
  • Nursing Homes/Long-term Care
  • Geriatrics
  • Memory clinic
  • Pilot site for Family Health Team-sponsored Heart Failure Clinic, Cardiac Rehab

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Aside from the comprehensive scope of our family medicine teachers, all specialty services relevant are available locally.  Interprofessional learning experiences are also available within our team. The clinic is part of the Stratford Family Health Team, with a cohort of allied health professionals to learn from, including on-site social workers, nurse practitioners, dieticians and occupational therapists. There is also a robust Mental Health program with three psychiatrists, multiple counselors and specialized mental health navigators.

RESOURCES ON-SITE

  • Electronic Medical Records
  • Physicians Lounge
  • Internet Access / Hospital Library available 24/7

TYPICAL WEEK FOR RESIDENT 

In PGY1 and 2, a typical week for Stratford residents can be found in the table below.  Bi-weekly emergency room shifts occur in PGY2. Bi-Weekly office call and once-monthly weekend call are at the discretion of the preceptor. OR assists, Sport Medicine consult, nursing home and hospital work are also integrated into PGY 1 & 2 core rotations.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday / Sunday

09:00 - 12:00**

Office

Long-term Care Rounds* or Office

Elective / Specialty Clinic or Office

Office

Office

Urgent after hours clinic once monthly

12:00 – 13:00

Lunch

Lunch / Problem-Based Learning / Teaching

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch and Learn

 Home call on pager**

13:00 – 16:30

Office 

Problem-based Teaching / Teaching / Office 

Academic half day

Office

Office

 Nursing Homes / Palliative Care

*Long-term care rounds will be done bi-weekly. The weekday for these rounds will be determined by the preceptor.

**Hospital rounds will occur in one-week blocks throughout each rotation and will include a call schedule on weekends.

After 4:30pm, there may be evening hours once a week on average for: Urgent Care Clinic, Home Call, and EM (for PGY2s).

OTHER INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS

The resident will be expected to participate in the regular on-call activities of the preceptors which include: OR assisting, intra-partum obstetrics, nursing-home calls, after-hours clinics and after-hours on-call for practice patients. Frequency of calls is according to PAIRO rules.