Photo by Maddie Nolan, Attawapiskat First Nation, ON
The Northern Ontario and Rural Medicine (NORM) Committee is a subcommittee of the Ontario Medical Students Association (OMSA). Our committee members consist of medical students studying across Ontario with interest in promoting rural generalist and specialist medicine!
We have three primary aims:
NORM consists of a Chair, Vice-Chair, and four portfolios. Please expand each section to learn more about each portfolio and their projects.
The Northern and Rural Student Engagement (NRSE) Committee consists of medical students studying at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, or at a rural satellite campus of other medical schools in Ontario. The aim of the NRSE committee is to advocate for improved access to urban-based professional development opportunities for NOSM and rural-based students through various projects and initiatives. Preference is given to applicants who are studying at NOSM or rural satellite campuses.
Canadian Residency Social Media Accounts
COVID-19, geographical challenges, and high financial costs are just a few of the barriers that Canadian medical students face in getting to know residency programs across the country. We have compiled the social media accounts of medical schools and residencies across Canada so that you can stay up to date with their activities, information sessions, and much more!
Northern and Rural Student Feature
If you’re interested in exploring rural medicine it can be both exciting and difficult to prepare for such unique settings, but preparation is essential! To help with your preparation, we are featuring 3 Ontario medical students here. Each from a different stage of medical training, they share their preparation, placements, and lessons learned. Enjoy!
Photo credit: Kathleen Walsh
The Northern Ontario and Rural Health Advocacy (NORHA) portfolio aims to address health care disparities existing within Northern and rural communities directly through our student-led advocacy initiatives including NORM in the News, a position paper focusing on the lack of mental health supports in rural and Northern areas, a commentary focusing on the pros and cons of virtual palliative care in rural areas and researching the importance of actively offering French language services to the Francophone population in health care. We also highlight the work of generalist physicians in Northern and rural Ontario through our Rural Doc Spotlight and created a handout focusing on employment opportunities for physicians in rural Ontario.
NORM in the News and Rural Research of the Week
Want to know more about health in the Northern and rural communities of Ontario? The best way to learn is by reading the news! The Northern Ontario and Rural Health Advocacy posts weekly links to news articles or research papers about rural health and lifestyle on our Facebook page. Here is an archive of some of our past NORM in the News articles!
Work Opportunities in Rural Ontario Handout
Interested in working in Northern Ontario as a physician? Wondering what hiring opportunities are available in rural and Northern Ontario? Check out this quick reference document to learn more!
Position Paper: Inadequate Mental Health Supports in Rural and Northern Ontario Communities
Here is an OMSA position paper written by Anchaleena Mandal and Madison Burella, Sr. and Jr. Leads of NORHA in 2021, about the barriers to accessing mental health support in rural and northern Ontario and possible solutions.
Rural Resident Spotlight
The purpose of this project is to spotlight a rural resident and their residency program with the goal to increase awareness and interest in the practice of rural medicine across Ontario.
Rural Doc Spotlight
This initiative aims to increase awareness and interest in the practice of rural medicine across Ontario, and hopes to inspire medical students across Ontario to consider practicing medicine in a rural environment.
Ongoing Projects
We have many more ongoing projects that we are excited to publish soon! Some of them include:
Ongoing Projects
We have many more ongoing projects that we are excited to publish soon! Some of them include:
Photo by Maddie Nolan, Moose Factory ON
Coming soon!
Want to learn more about our committee? Find us on social media!
Officially founded in May 1974 during the Ontario Medical Association’s AGM, the Student Section of the OMA was started using the acronym “OMSA” (short for Ontario Medical Students Association) in 2004.
Copyright © 2024, Ontario Medical Students Association (OMSA).
The views expressed on this website do not in any way represent those of the Ontario Medical Association (OMA).
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