Prospective doctors milk cows during rural medicine discovery tour
Emily Hauck can now say she’s milked a cow.
“I thought you’d go in, and honestly, make it into a bucket. That’s what I’d seen on TV,” explained the first year Western University medical student.
Hauck and her fellow first year medical students from London, Ont.’s Western University got a very hands-on tour of rural Bruce County on Thursday to try and clear up some of those misconceptions about “farm life.”
“I came into today thinking it was all manual. Like a bucket, you milk the udders by hand, and that’s it. But, there’s a lot of technology involved,” said Ahmed Abdalle, who made his first-ever visit to a large farm.
Six Western medical students toured a dairy farm, grain elevator, and tractor dealership as they learned the ropes of rural life.
Ahmed Abdalle, a first year Western University medical student, tours feeding dairy cows during Rural Medicine Discovery Week on May 25, 2023 near Walkerton, Ont. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
“To understand some of the terminology that might come up, when someone working on a farm operation may require some health supports. Having an awareness or understanding of the farm terminology can be helpful,” explained Margaret Vincent, a representative with the Bruce-Grey Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA).
The real goal of Rural Medicine Discovery Week, locally organized by the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture, is to introduce these young prospective health professionals to country life in hopes they would come and work at local hospitals that are seeing ongoing emergency room closures, due to a lack of qualified staff.
“We’re trying to educate the new doctor recruits to entice or get them interested in coming back to our rural areas as we are under serviced. So, we would love dearly if they would consider practicing medicine in our rural area,” said Bruce County OFA Chair, Chris Cossitt.
First year Western University medical students tour Ikendale Farms near Walkerton, Ont. during Rural Medicine Discovery Week on May 25, 2023. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
In 15 years of holding these farm tours for Western medical students, organizers weren’t sure if any participants actually returned to the area to practice medicine.
“If I had a job offer out rurally, like in Walkerton or someplace similar, I wouldn’t be opposed to it. This is a really good experience, honestly,” said Abdalle, who was astonished by the amount of technology he witnessed on the farms.
“Maybe. It’s not something I’ve completely ruled out or ruled in,” said medical student, Alisiya Petrushkevich from Richmond Hill.
“I do think this has made me a lot more open to it, even if it’s not a permanent position, maybe something temporary, like a locum,” added London, Ont. native and Western med student, Syed Mir.
First year Western University medical students get a hands-on tour of a dairy farm near Walkerton, Ont. during Rural Medicine Discovery Week on May 25, 2023. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
“Maybe I start out in a larger centre for the volume of patients and learning opportunities. But, maybe down the line, ending up in a more rural base. We’ll see,” said med student, Emily Hauck.
Wherever they end up practicing medicine, the six med students who toured farms in Bruce County got some once in a lifetime experiences, like milking a cow, petting newborn calves, and driving tractors — it’s not something they’d ever experienced before.
“I was impressed. I didn’t think that it [farming] was that deep, that technical. It was a really good learning experience,” added Abdalle.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Disability Benefit needs to safeguarded from clawbacks, MPs unanimously agree
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Turfing Poilievre from House a clear sign of desperation by Trudeau Liberals
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
Six Canadian children repatriated from detention in Syria, Global Affairs Canada says
The Global Affairs Department says six Canadian children have been repatriated from detention in northeastern Syria.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.