The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance is hosting discovery week medical students from Western University.
28 students will be placed at the four hospital sites for four days next week. Stratford will host 16 students, while the other sites will have four students each.
It's a mandatory one week placement required at the end of the first year for all undergraduate medical students. They'll be able to shadow family physicians and learn what their typical workday involves. It's also a chance to spend time in hospitals, doctor offices, clinics, and community service facilities.
Students will see what happens at emergency departments, ambulatory care clinics, and operating rooms. They'll also be able to practice skills such as suturing, infant assessment and resuscitation, and health and safety.
“We’ve been participating in Discovery Week for more than ten years,” adds Laurie Roberts,corporate lead medical staff. “The feedback we’ve received from the students after their visit has been very positive. The students have loved the flexibility in practice, the warm welcome they’ve received from our physicians and staff and the exposure to our unique communities in Huron and Perth.”
Social activities for the students will include a tour of the Local Community Food Centre, dinner hosted by a local physician followed by an evening of theatre at the Stratford Festival.
"It was my exposure to the unique and positive experiences of community medicine with an inspiring mentor that brought me to HPHA and it is the variety of wonderful patient experiences and community culture that keeps me here,” adds Dr. Shanil Narayan, the chief of the Department of Internal Medicine. “I’m looking forward to showing off our amazing group of mentors and the experiences they will provide to the next generation of learners.”
