Chatham-Kent will be host to 18 first-year University of Western Ontario medical students for Discovery Week 2014 from May 26 to May 29, 2014.
Organized by the Southwestern Ontario Medical Education Network (SWOMEN), students from Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario will partner with Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) to provide exposure to community medicine for medical students.
Students will have the opportunity to shadow family physicians, specialists, nurse practitioners and allied healthcare professionals in many areas of Chatham-Kent to find out what a typical workday entails.
More than thirty local physicians have signed up to be a preceptor/teacher to the students during this weeklong learning experience.
“We have been hosting Discovery Week in Chatham-Kent for over 10 years now. This is our largest group to date. We can’t thank our preceptors enough for taking time to give these students their first experience in a healthcare setting. Our medical education continues to grow with our partnership with Schulich School of Medicine. We look forward to this week every year,” says Fannie Vavoulis, Medical Recruiter and Education Coordinator.
“We have seen these students graduate from medical school, enter residency and practice medicine. It is so gratifying for all of us involved to watch them come full circle. Many Discovery Week students come back to Chatham-Kent to do electives during their third and fourth year of medical school based on their experience with us.”
Students will also speak to local high school groups. Presentations will outline their experiences and opportunities associated with the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario (London and Windsor campuses).
Social events will also be included in the week’s agenda so students can meet the physicians in a casual atmosphere and experience first hand some of the many amenities offered in Chatham-Kent. A welcome luncheon and tour of a local brewery are among the planned festivities.
