The aspiring physician who has been working at St. Joseph’s Hospital has enjoyed her time in the community thus far.
Lindsay Richels has been in Estevan for three weeks through the longitudinal integrated clerkship, which will give her the opportunity to spend 42 weeks in the community while furthering her skills. A reception to welcome her to the hospital was held Tuesday.
“I just checked in with Lindsay this morning, and she’s done a lot more than a lot of other medical students would do,” said Kent Stobart, the vice dean of education and professor of pediatrics at the College of Medicine.
She has already been present for C-sections and deliveries, and has worked in the emergency room and surgical operating rooms.
In a traditional, rotation-based clerkship, Stobart said the physicians rotate through six weeks for each of surgery, medicine, family medicine and psychiatry. But with the program in Estevan, it’s integrated, so she will see all sorts of patients.
It has been shown elsewhere to increase the learning of the physicians, and to bring physicians to rural communities.
Estevan was selected for the clerkship after the college was approached by St. Joseph’s Hospital executive director Greg Hoffort and local physician Dr. Edward Tsoi.
Richels is looking forward to spending time in the different medical disciplines, and hopes to become proficient in some of them.
“I love it here. I can’t say enough about how good the people are, the culture here,” she said. “Being here is truly an honour.”
She was also able to promote the longitudinal integrated clerkship to aspiring physicians who were in Estevan last month through the Saskatchewan Medical Association’s Road Map Tour.
“There is lots of interest already, and lots of interest in the city of Estevan, so that’s good for just starting out. I’ve had a lot of good feedback already, and a lot of really impressed and curious medical students wanting to come here and do their training.”
Richels noted she is from Churchbridge and appreciates practising in rural settings.
