Learn more in my video above about our distributed medical education program in Windsor and more than 40 communities that participate in training through our Southwestern Ontario Medical Education Network (SWOMEN).

Also - save the date for some key upcoming events:

130th Anniversary Gala - September 30, 2011
Robarts Dinner - November 21, 2011

I wish everyone a safe and happy summer!

130th anniversary barbecue

Thanks to all those who attended the 130th anniversary barbecue on May 26th. Our staff were truly overwhelmed with the number of people attending!

If you missed it, you can check out a highlight video of the event online.

We hope to host more of these types of events in future - on campus and at other sites in London, Windsor and region. If you have ideas or suggestions about future events, or wish to help with organizing, please contact the Dean's Office at deansoffice@schulich.uwo.ca or call ext. 86415.

SWOMEN Discovery Week

Each year medical students participate in Discovery Week as part of the first-year curriculum to introduce them to the challenges and opportunities of living and working in a rural or regional community. A photo slideshow from the 2011 Discovery Week is available here.

Click the photo at left to see a slideshow from Discovery Week 2011

By involving students first-hand in patient care in smaller Southwestern Ontario communities and helping them develop an understanding and appreciation for rural regional medicine and health care providers, we hope to inspire them to return to these communities to practise when their education is completed. Discovery Week is coordinated by Schulich's Southwestern Ontario Medical Education Network (SWOMEN).

This year was a great success. We placed 169 students in over 32 communities from Amherstberg to Zurich. This was the largest group of students we've ever had, and the program was spread out over two weeks for the first time to accommodate everyone.

The students spent their week shadowing and observing doctors and other health care professionals including nurse practitioners, dentists, optometrists, physiotherapists, and dieticians. They enjoyed hands-on clinical experiences such as suturing, physical exams, physical histories, emergency department, surgery, and some were even able to attend the birth of a baby. The week was rounded out by social activities to help them experience what it would be like to live in that particular community. They explored their surroundings and were treated to events such as BBQs and dinners with physicians. Some students enjoyed canoeing, hiking, winery tours, or just hitting the beach.

An important element of Discovery Week is outreach to local high schools. Our students deliver presentations throughout Southwestern Ontario about the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and about the medical profession in general, and it is a great way to get young people thinking about a future in medicine.

Discovery Week would not be possible without the tremendous support from from physicians, staff, and allied health care professionals in our rural and regional communities and we are very appreciative of their commitment to the program. This year we were pleased to see more involvement from family health teams including new teams in North Middlesex, Sarnia, and Zurich, and we are already looking forward to Discovery Week 2012.