Students learn about medicine as E-R closures loom

Dr. Ken Milne is teaching rural high school students some medical basics near Goderich Tuesday.

"The best time to start this was yesterday, but here we are today and the sooner we can get this going, the sooner we can create and grow these new clinicians to service the rural communities," said Milne, a local emergency room physician.

Approximately 30 Huron-Perth high school students took part in a Discovery Healthcare Camp at Camp Klahanie near Goderich.

They’re learning some medical basics like how to make a cast and suturing, practicing on stuffed dolls. Most kids who attended have at least a passing interest in becoming a nurse or physician.

"It would be a good job and interesting. No day is the same," said 14-year-old, Claire Mcdade, who is going to St. Anne’s Secondary School in Clinton next year. 

Discovery Healthcare camp participants, Tuesday July 12, 2022 (Scott Miller/CTV News London)The problem is, Ontario needs Mcdade, right now. Hospitals across the province are introducing "rolling blackouts" or temporary closures of their emergency rooms due a lack of nurses and physicians to cover shifts.

In Huron County, Clinton’s hospital was closed the entire Canada Day long weekend and remains closed overnight, while the hospital in Seaforth is closed, from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

"It is no secret we are facing a severe shortage of healthcare professionals across Huron County and this is recruitment at its very best," said Alexandra and Marine General Hospital Doctor Recruitment Lead, Gwen Devereaux.

"If we can inspire and show people that they can be rural clinicians, if they come from a rural community, we’re much more likely to have a solid, sustainable workforce to provide healthcare to the region," said Milne.

For this week’s camp participants, home may be where they start their medical careers.

Discovery Healthcare camp participants, Tuesday July 12, 2022 (Scott Miller/CTV News London)"We need more people to come work here. I think it’s a great area to be in. I think the speakers we’ve had talked about how they get to see their patients grow up, so I think that would a great thing to do," said 15-year-old, Kyla Fisher.

"I love it here. It’s beautiful, great community. Everyone is really close," added Mcdade.

The camp runs all this week and is hosted by the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health, in partnership with the Alexandra Marine General Hospital and the Schulich School of Medicine at Western University.

Western medical students act as the camp’s counsellors, while bringing in guest speakers like Dr. Milne.

Students will tour the Alexandra and Marine General Hospital in Goderich later this week.