For over 30 years, the Haida Gwaii medical community has been affiliated with the University of British Columbia as a training site for Medical and Nursing students, Family Medicine residents and, more recently, Nurse Practitioner, Midwifery and Social Work students.
Providing health care cannot be learned simply from books. Interacting with patients and medical staff in a clinical environment is key to developing essential professional skills. While students will not see patients autonomously, the Family Medicine residents are in their final year of training prior to independent practice, and thus are quite senior in their education. As such, they do see patients in the clinic and the hospital independently, with daily oversight by their assigned physician preceptor. It is expected that some patients may prefer to see only their regular provider and not interact with learners. If this is your preference, simply let us know when you book your appointment. We do not take your participation for granted – respecting your wishes is our priority.
The entire Haida Gwaii medical community would like to express immense gratitude to patients and staff who choose to be involved in the education of the next generation of healthcare providers. Most local family doctors were once medical learners on Haida Gwaii, so patient and staff participation are key to the recruitment and retention of health care providers. Haawa to our teachers, patients and communities for instilling a love of rural medicine and Haida Gwaii!
Photo credit: Jags Brown
