An eventful semester
As the first semester comes to a close, students from all four years prepare for important transitions in their career.
The Class of 2021 have settled into their roles as medical students and are hard at work preparing for their end of course exams.
My class, the Class of 2020, are also re-adjusting to the work routine while thinking ahead to clerkship. And our colleagues in the Classes of 2019 and 2018 are gaining valuable clinical experience in regional hospitals and clinical rotations.
The first semester has also brought along some new and familiar activities for students to enjoy. Students are participating in intramural sports such as Ultimate Frisbee, and getting involved with several student-managed clubs.
Familiar traditions such as the Michigan football game tailgate and welcome barbeque for the incoming class were huge successes. Several of the incoming 2021 students also organized a wellness break by visiting Wheatley Provincial Park.
In addition, students attended several conferences to broaden their learning. The topics of these conferences ranged from global health to quality improvement, which speaks to the diverse interests represented by our peers.
A new initiative, led in conjunction with physician leads, offered interested students from the Class of 2020 to attend an Emergency Department conference in Windsor. During the day, students learned more about emergency medicine while networking with local physicians.
Another new initiative that took place this year was the session Tyo ko Tak naht’yukwa nute’, Let’s Move What we Know Forward. This afternoon event was an educational opportunity for students to enrich their understanding of Indigenous culture, health and law challenges in Canada. Ry Moran, Director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba, was the keynote speaker at this event.
It served as an important step toward truly understanding the unique challenges faced by Indigenous communities and their roots in Canadian history. Students also participated in a Blanket Exercise to increase their awareness of Aboriginal history through a role-playing exercise. After the exercise, students were given an opportunity to debrief and share what they had learned throughout the day.
As you can see the first semester was quite eventful one. With the holidays fast approaching, we look forward to spending time with family and friends. I would like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season filled with happiness.
Best,
Sahil Sharma
VP Windsor – Hippocratic Council
