Outlaw Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 I saw this on the news today. You can go to the CTV Winnipeg website (http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/) to see the video clip. Brandon University is looking at the feasibility of offering a program to medical students. The main focus is to get more rural physicians and they hope to do that by having a medical school in a more rural setting (University of Brandon). Their theory is that graduates will be more inclined to practice in a rural setting after living in one for several years. They are currently in the middle of a provincially funded study that is set to conclude by the end of March. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixFlare500 Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 I saw this on the news today. You can go to the CTV Winnipeg website (http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/) to see the video clip. Brandon University is looking at the feasibility of offering a program to medical students. The main focus is to get more rural physicians and they hope to do that by having a medical school in a more rural setting (University of Brandon). Their theory is that graduates will be more inclined to practice in a rural setting after living in one for several years. They are currently in the middle of a provincially funded study that is set to conclude by the end of March. Makes sense in theory. However, even if it's possible to implement a medical school here, given BU's track record of going on strike so often I'd be wary of sending my kid to med school there. You'd have to make sure that a faculty strike wouldn't affect their education (but it probably will since nursing and ed are also affected). U of M's trying to get more rural applicants in hopes that people from small towns will want to return there. Whether or not that actually works, I don't know, I guess we'll see in a couple years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outlaw Posted January 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 I like the idea although I have my doubts that it will actually come to fruition. Even if it does eventually go through, it seems to me that it is still a long way off. I think there may be a better way to address the need of rural physicians. I am not a huge fan of the rural co-efficient score at the U of M. I don't like how applicants are awarded bonus points based on the the fact that they might be more inclined to practice in a rural community. I'm sure many urban applicants would work in rural communities and that many "rural" applicants would want to go urban. I think they should go with a more aggressive approach that will guarantee physicians setting up practice in rural areas (for at least a few years). They should keep 10-15 seats (a number just off the top of my head) that comes with a 3-4 year commitment in a rural setting and scratch the rural co-efficient. Again, I think many urban applicants would have no problem practicing in a rural community. This would ensure that physicians would be present in some northern/remote communities, not just speculation. Applicants would have the option to commit to this in their application (while still being eligible for the remaining seats). I guess only time will tell with the jury still being out on the current system. Regardless, I think if they were serious about solving this problem, they need a more proactive approach to it. A medical school at the University of Brandon would be a step in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whystress? Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 I'm currently in the class of 2015 and I'm surprised there aren't more 'rural' applicants in our class. There is a population of rural-based students, but I don't think it gives you that much of an advantage to be honest. But then again... I'm not on the admissions committee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueoval177 Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 I'm at Brandon University at the moment, and yea the strike that happened isn't great for PR. That's a whole separate issue. Some data they have is if you go to school in an urban area, you tend to stay there. Other examples have shown that rural education = rural practice. If you are bored or curious here is the link http://www.brandonu.ca/president/files/medFeasibilityStudy.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith_015 Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 I don't think BU will have any hand in this other than a coordinated use of their facilities. If anything, any school there would likely be a satellite campus of UManitoba. Nonetheless, when talking to Brandon physicians & RHA recruiters about this last year, there seems to be a lack of interest from the physicians there for operating a med school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allie81 Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 I am actually confident that this program will work, I find it ingenious. There are little chances for a graduate to choose a rural area after school if he's not at all familiar with it. In this case here they are already familiar with the rural environment and they'll be able to make their own decisions. I grew up in a rural area and now I am about to get my human servicers online degree, I am so proud of this achievement. I'd definitely prefer to work in a rural area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay_135 Posted February 25, 2012 Report Share Posted February 25, 2012 I remember reading about the prospects of having a medical school in Brandon in the Free Press about 2 years or so ago and from what I remember it seemed to imply that it would be more of a satellite program for U of M as Keith mentioned rather than Brandon University Medical School, although I suppose this can change. I think a big way to possiblly increasing urban applicant interest in rural medicine is actually giving urban applicants the opportunity to see what rural medicine is like before medical school. I remember trying to set something up with one of the RHAs before I got in and they immediately shut the door on me. It is disappointing to hear all this talk about promoting rural interest but here I was trying to do that and instead was left hanging. They seemed to be more interested in promoting rural applicant access to rural opportunities. I understand that most of the programs currently in place are modestly funded and resources are scarce but if this province is going to pump millions of dollars into alleviating the rural physician shortage this could potentially be one of those ways. Could be wrong. Just my two cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preppy038 Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 if they do open a med school there, it may be smart to reduce the size in winnipeg to prevent physician oversupply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueoval177 Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Unlikely U of M would give anything. The rural index would probably be discarded or reduced at U of M and a maximum of 20 seats, probably still on the high side. Very general specialties and probably a heavy emphasis on GP's with rural and remote practice emphasized. There are no masters or PhD science programs at Brandon U either. I doubt there would be an oversupply made due to the severe lack in rural and northern physicians to begin with, even just in Manitoba. Many local communities in the area see this as a way of solving the lack of physicians. Prince George may be an example of what it could look like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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