Welcome Message
Welcome to the Duncan (Cowichan) MD Undergraduate Program (MDUP) Integrated Community Clerkship (ICC) Site.
Since 2010, our site has continued to evolve and grow via the contributions of past students and enthusiastic preceptors, to produce a unique and supportive clerkship experience.
Students participating in our clerkship are self-directed, flexible, and ready for a challenge! This is an amazing year for students and represents the start of the transformation from student to physician.
In July of 2024, Duncan (Cowichan) ICC students were joined by our first cohort of R-1 family practice residents, as we are in the process of building a new residency site here. This combination of students and residents at different stages of training will enhance the learning environment.
As Site Director and I am enjoying the role immensely. I am excited to welcome Maeve Maguire, our new Site Coordinator, to the Duncan (Cowichan) ICC team. Maeve brings with her a wealth of experience and talent and has been instrumental in modernizing and developing our clerkship program.
We invite you to come and join us for an unforgettable year.
Dr. Tom Rimmer
ICC Site Director, Duncan (Cowichan)
Dr. Tom Rimmer is a graduate of the UBC MD Undergraduate Program and completed his residency through the UBC Rural Family Practice Program. Dr. Rimmer served various rural locations in British Columbia and Nova Scotia before opening his full-service practice in Duncan. In addition to being a preceptor to MDUP ICC students and residents for the past 25 years, Dr. Rimmer is a Co-Site Director of the new Residency Training Program and is involved with the local Duncan Division of Family Practice.
General Program Overview
The Duncan (Cowichan) MD Undergraduate Program (MDUP) Integrated Community Clerkship (ICC) site has been in place since 2010. Medical education has a long history in the Cowichan Valley being host to rural practice medical students since the 1970’s. Since the beginning, the medical community has been very engaged with the ICC program and we work together to provide a high level of clinical experience and supportive environment for the ICC students. It is a great place to live and work.
Specific Experiences
Our schedule is longitudinal, meaning that students have repeated exposure to all the disciplines through the course of the year. A typical schedule for a Duncan student is:
- Two half days per week – Family Practice clinics with preceptors.
- Specialty Local Experience: Anesthesiology, Dermatology (Nanaimo), Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, General Surgery (2-2–week bursts), Pediatrics, and Psychiatry.
- Emergency Room Shifts and Family Practice Obstetrical Clinic.
- Local Academic Half Days (AHDs).
- Independent Study Time.
- Longitudinal Community Experiences.
- Multidisciplinary Care – spend time with other health care providers.
Participating Hospital Sites
Cowichan District Hospital (CDH)
- Cowichan District Hospital is a 126-bed facility serving approximately 83,000 residents of the Cowichan Valley, under the leadership of Island Health.
- For nearly 60 years, the staff and medical professionals at Cowichan District Hospital, supported by community volunteers, have been dedicated to providing quality public health care. Together, they provide high-quality, compassionate care for settlers and Indigenous peoples in the Cowichan Valley and beyond.
- Family Medicine physicians at CDH provide longitudinal inpatient care as well as enhanced skills in emergency medicine, primary care obstetrics, palliative care, care of the elderly, addiction medicine, anesthesia, and GP oncology.
- The specialties represented at CDH include internal medicine and critical care, general surgery, ENT, urology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, plastic surgery, emergency medicine, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics.
- The replacement of Cowichan District Hospital is underway, with a planned opening in 2027.
Community Profile
Welcome to the ‘Warm Land’. The Cowichan Region is a collection of communities that services a population of approximately 80,000 people. Duncan, where the Duncan (Cowichan) ICC is based, is located 1 hour each way by car to Victoria and Nanaimo, and 20 minutes to Vancouver by float plane. It consists of the communities from Mill Bay in the South to Ladysmith in the North and out West to Lake Cowichan and Nitnat. We have a large First Nations (Hul’qumi’num) community with over 6,200 members, and this adds a rich cultural component to our community.
Check out the Tourism website for interesting activities and things to do in the Cowichan region.
“Explore idyllic coastal communities, winding roads, and open farmland meeting forest. Here, in communities brimming with authentic culture and deep connection, you’ll find the sun has seeped into people’s very beings; we welcome you with warm hearts…
Cowichan boasts the distinction of being situated in Canada’s only maritime Mediterranean climatic zone, offering the country’s warmest year-round temperatures. Throughout the seasons, indulge in a myriad of activities: from exploring stunning vineyards and savoring delicious local cuisine to kayaking along picturesque rivers, hiking through verdant forests, biking, wildlife viewing, and immersing yourself in the region’s vibrant Indigenous culture. Home to many highly talented artisans, Cowichan showcases their works in home studios and galleries across the region.
Whether you are looking for an exciting outdoor adventure or breathtaking views – Cowichan has countless opportunities to suit your desires. Here, in communities brimming with authentic culture and deep connection, you’ll find the sun has seeped into people’s very beings; we welcome you with warm hearts.”
[From the Tourism Cowichan website, 2024]
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Tom Rimmer
ICC Site Director, Duncan (Cowichan)
tom@rimmer.com
Maeve Maguire
ICC Site Coordinator, Duncan (Cowichan)
imp_cowichan_admin@uvic.ca
We would like to acknowledge that the Duncan (Cowichan) Integrated Community Clerkship site operates on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Quw’utsun, Malahat, Ts’uubaa-asatx, Halalt, Penelakut, Stz’uminus, Lyackson, Pauquachin, Ditidaht & Pacheedaht People.
Our Recent ICC Students’ Experience
“My time in ICC Duncan (Cowichan) will always hold a special place in my medical journey. The medical community in Duncan welcomed us with open arms and our preceptors were keen to teach and draw us into the tight-knit community. We were supported and encouraged to jump between preceptors and specialties, to take ownership of our learning, and to seek out opportunities to support our individual learning goals. The ability to follow patients throughout their whole health journey – from admission to surgery to the wards and back into the community – is a unique and deeply valuable one for both patients and students. In addition to the medical side, the ability to sneak in mountain bike rides, hike the many local trail networks, and dip in close by lakes, rivers, and the ocean helped me to stay grounded throughout the chaos of medical training. I would highly recommend Cowichan as a wonderful training base for any medical student!”
“In ICC Duncan (Cowichan) you very quickly feel like a valuable member of the community. All of the staff at the site are really focused on making sure you are consistently improving your medical knowledge, all while facilitating a safe learning environment. If you are looking to have medical independence while having a supportive group of staff to back you up, then Duncan is the place to be. Duncan itself is a nice town, with a good mixture of local cafes, stores, and a decent variety of cuisines. There are also many beautiful sights to see around the area. Some of the most beautiful sunsets I have seen were in Duncan, either at nearby Stoney Hill, Cowichan Bay, and even outside of my front door. As a previous student in Duncan, I strongly recommend the site to anyone with a passion for non-urban medicine.”