Sylvia Keefe said that the true value of the institute was that, “I was an active participant in a supportive learning environment. I appreciate how the program was planned to fully emerge the students in various aspects of the medical field – from shadowing physicians in the Outpatient Department to observing Operating Room procedures to, where required, responding to a Medevac call”. Dr. Michael Jong, co-ordinator of the institute, said that “this was a wonderful experience for both learners and trainers; we learnt for one another – not about one world view but many world views – and our lives are all the richer from having worked together”. Dr. Carolyn Sturge Sparkes, co-ordinator of the Aboriginal Health Initiative that started and supported the institute, is convinced that its success confirms the need to maintain it. “Funding received from Health Canada through its Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative paid our expenses this year. Now we need to find funding to keep this going!”
Participant Robert Power affirms the need. “I have already told friends about this and have encouraged them to apply for next year,” he said. The participants are clear that their passion for medicine has been fuelled by the opportunities provided at the Labrador Health Centre. They readily agree that what they experienced at the institute, while invaluable, is only the beginning. As Dean Simon eloquently pens, “My wish is that I can take what I have seen, heard, touched, smelled and tasted, back to my community, and have a true impact on improving the lives of my people. We too suffer. We too need healing. I want to maximize my time, helping people, and this is what I think being a doctor is all about.”
www.med.mun.ca Admissions email: munmed@mun.ca phone: 709 777-6615 fax: 709 777-8422
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