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Future doctors arrive next week to get to know Cambridge

Doctors4Cambridge ready to host 10 Queen's University medical students in the Rural Ontario Medical Program
CambridgeToday Staff
3-romp-week-2019-event(1)
Rural Ontario Medical Program week in 2017 with 1st and 2nd years medical students to Cambridge to participate in clinics such as casting. This year, the ROMP week will take place in Cambridge from May 29 to June 2.

For the first time in three years, the city will host 10 first-year medical students May 29 to June 1 for a week of programs designed to acquaint them with Cambridge in the hopes they'll return to the city to practice as doctors and help ease the local doctor shortage.

The Cambridge and North Dumfries doctor recruitment committee, along with their partners, are welcoming the students from Queen’s University for the Rural Ontario Medical Program (ROMP).

ROMP is a week in which various communities in Ontario host medical students at the beginning of their programs to give them an opportunity to receive hands on medical experience with family doctors and specialists and get to know what it's like to work in each city or town. 

The program has been so successful in Cambridge that two physicians who came to the city as students during ROMP week in 2017 recently joined the local medical community.

Since the incoming ROMP participants have just finished their first year of medical school they also take part in some much needed relaxation and fun. 

When they arrive Monday, they'll get to know each other as they tour Langdon Hall and canoe the Grand River with the Ancient Mariners.

On Tuesday and part of Wednesday, the students will shadow family physicians.

On Wednesday afternoon, the students will tour the Gaslight District and participate in a downtown scavenger hunt organized by the Doctors4Cambridge committee.

On Thursday, the students will shadow a Cambridge Memorial Hospital (CMH) specialist.

And on Friday the students will participate in a suturing clinic at CMH.

"It is always a fun and educational week for the students, their preceptors and for our committee," says recruitment coordinator for Doctors4Cambridge Donna Gravelle. "The students are eager to see actual medical procedures and learn about Cambridge. Over the years we have seen the success of this program with previous students returning to Cambridge on rotations while attending medical school."

The Rural Ontario Medical Program sponsors the week along with community partners.