Thank you to Mike, Hannah and Drew for responding to our questions!
Mike says:
- What do you like best about your site? Kelowna itself is a beautiful city with all you need for living, shopping, and things to do. Downtown is right on Okanagan Lake, but in an hour’s drive you can be up at Big White for a day of skiing or snowboarding. Having said that, my favourite part about the Southern Medical Program has to be the small class size of 32. It makes for a really supportive environment when you know each one of your classmates by name and they all know you. With this smaller group, it’s possible to have social events where the whole class of 32 is invited, but you also build relationships with your classmates through small group work because 32 people can only be split so many different ways. This is great for finding people you work well with and can study with as you move forward.
- What makes your site unique or special? We’re the newest site which means we have beautiful new facilities to work out of, both on campus at UBCO and by the hospital at the Clinical Academic Campus. We also have a really positive team of faculty and staff that support us along the way and go out of their way to get to know us personally. The building that we have classes in at UBCO contains almost exclusively SMP faculty, staff, and students. This makes for a really positive environment that’s conducive to everyone knowing each other and feeling at home.
- What are some challenges associated with life at your site? The first year is a whirlwind as we do our first semester in Vancouver and then move up to Kelowna in the winter. It’s a challenge to find a place to live for only 4 months in Vancouver and it’s a challenge to organize finding a new place to live in Kelowna as you adjust to your first semester of medical school. However, the second year students can be really helpful in providing some direction as you navigate these moves. Further to that, we go back and forth between UBCO and the Clinical Academic Campus by the hospital and may also travel as far as Vernon for clinical experience at family practice offices. These are some of the most interesting learning experiences we have, but it is quite difficult to get yourself where you need to be if you don’t have a car accessible to you.
- What kind of person would really like living and studying at your site? I’ve emphasized some of what Kelowna has to offer with respect to outdoor activities, but it’s a big enough city that there is something for everyone. We’ve had large groups go out to do activities ranging from painting nights and wine tasting to salsa dancing and axe throwing (not at the same time)! I think the kind of person that would really enjoying being a Southern Medical Program student would be someone who really values knowing the people who are studying alongside them as well as the faculty and staff that are supporting them along the way. Many students have expressed that they feel less stressed learning in this environment, despite a curriculum that is identical between sites.
- Is there anything else you would like to add? I am not originally from the Interior, but I haven’t second-guessed my choice to move to Kelowna once. I could have chosen to stay closer to my family and friends, but I’ve found that medical school takes up the majority of my time regardless. It’s been exciting to explore a new city and it wasn’t hard to make a great group of friends within my class who are all going through what I’m going through.
Hannah says:
- What do you like best about your site? I like the small student to preceptor ratio and the ample opportunities for hands on learning. I enjoy that I know each physician and staff member personally.
- What makes your site unique or special? Often it is just you on a rotation which means for many patient encounters and procedures you are the first assist. Additionally, many of the physicians moved here to achieve a balanced lifestyle and thus encourage students to pursue hobbies and activities outside of medicine that will allow you to be healthier and happier mentally and physically.
- What are some challenges associated with life at your site? The lack of residents can make it challenging to “figure out” each rotation. Residents and senior students are valuable for helping navigate clerkship and for teaching. Also, we do not have exposure to all specialties which can make it difficult for those interested in pursuing certain career paths.
- What kind of person would really like living and studying at your site? A mature, enthusiastic, ambitious student who appreciates and enjoys new experiences and learns from stepping outside their comfort zone at times.
- Is there anything else you would like to add? I believe at SMP we are extremely fortunate as students for our staff and physicians really go above and beyond to provide us with the best education and training in the country. With the addition that you are not a number, you are known and valued as an individual, which becomes invaluable when inevitably “life happens” and you have the support you need.
Drew says:
- What do you like best about your site? The best thing about the Southern Medical Program is the passionate faculty and staff that we have here. The preceptors that we have give the students a lot of autonomy on the wards which makes for a fantastic learning experience during our clerkship year.
- What makes your site unique or special?
– Kelowna’s hospital is a 5 minute walk from Lake Okanagan, 45 minute drive to Big White Mountain.
– The SMP is a site where you get to know your colleagues as well as the faculty and staff very well.
– Few learners (residents and fellow clerks) in the hospital meaning you get involved in lots of interesting cases, and get to take on a lot more responsibility during clerkship. - What are some challenges associated with life at your site? First 2 years are spent at UBCO, which is 20 minutes away from downtown. The drive can get tedious but it is a good chance to get to know your classmates through carpooling, listening to medical podcasts, or you can ditch the car and commute by bike which a lot of students do as a group!
- What kind of person would really like living and studying at your site? If you are outgoing and adventurous, the Okanagan is going to be a perfect place for you. There is so much outdoors to explore that there will be something for everybody to get involved in. If outdoors isn’t for you, we have a lot of arts and culture as well. Tons of music, art, comedy and festivals of all kinds throughout the year. There is certainly something for everybody in Kelowna to take your mind off of medicine for a while.
- Is there anything else you would like to add? We a close knit group here at the SMP, and we look forward to welcoming you into the family!