PRHC In Partnership With PTBO Fam Docs Brings 'Return & Learn' Program

Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) partnered with PTBO Fam Docs to bring the ‘Return & Learn’ program to the community for the first time.

Photo courtesy of PRHC.

It has hospital and family physicians collaborating to host 11 medical learners with roots in the Peterborough community for a three-day learning experience in July.

Participants are individuals who have grown up in the Peterborough area and are now studying at medical schools abroad. The goal of the program is to support these learners early in their medical school journey, enhancing their opportunities to match for residency spots closer to home, easing their transition back into the Canadian healthcare system, and supporting them in achieving their goal of returning to practice in our community.

Learners were offered a variety of opportunities during this year’s three-day event, including:

• Shadowing 22 physician preceptors at the hospital and in the community

• Learning clinical skills in PRHC’s dedicated Learning Centre and in areas around the hospital, including IV starts, injections, and mock emergency codes

• Opportunities to engage with other community organizations, including Paramedics, Public Health, Hospice, Peterborough Family Health Team, the Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic, and Hiawatha First Nation, to gain exposure to healthcare environments outside the hospital setting

“The amount of coordination that went into the itinerary, the preceptor placements, and all the logistics made for a genuinely valuable few days,” said Max Moloney, a medical student who participated in the event. “I know that sentiment is shared amongst my peers as well. The shadow shifts and clinical skills training were a great experience, and everything ran smoothly thanks to the team behind the scenes.

 This unique initiative was co-designed and developed as part of a partnership between PRHC and the PTBO Fam Docs collective, led by Dr. Madura Sundareswaran.

“The Return & Learn program aims to highlight the breadth of opportunities for prospective physicians in Peterborough. By partnering with Peterborough Regional Health Centre, we are able to showcase everything our amazing community has to offer – including a glimpse into the unique and innovative community-based practices of our local family physicians,” said Sundareswaran. “PTBO Fam Docs is excited to continue to work with our community partners towards a long-term, sustainable strategy for physician recruitment and retention, for which mentorship, medical education and sense of community are essential.”

“More than anything, the Medical Affairs team has a way of making PRHC feel like home, where medical students are genuinely valued. It means a great deal to all of us, and to my understanding, it is a truly unique experience in Canada. Most importantly, it only reinforces how much I hope to build my career here at PRHC down the road,” said Maloney.

“By all accounts, this event was an incredible and rewarding experience for everyone involved,” said Dr. Janet Hurst, PRHC. VP & Chief Medical Executive. “To see the participation and enthusiasm from every organization and every learner for this initiative has been inspiring. Return & Learn has been a success in large part due to the collaboration, commitment and involvement of so many people and partners, and we can’t wait to work with them to make this innovative program even better in future years.”

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