Northern Ontario School Research Articles

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine: Responding to the Needs of the People and Communities of Northern Ontario

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine: Responding to the Needs of the People and Communities of Northern Ontario

Collaborative Mental Health Care in Rural and Isolated Canada: Stakeholder Feedback

This article presents research findings from the Rural and Isolated Working Group, one of six groups established by the Canadian Collaborative Mental Health Initiative (CCMHI). Funded through Health Canada's Primary Health Care Transition Fund, the goal of the CCMHI is to improve the mental health and well-being of Canadians by increasing collaboration among primary health care and mental health care providers, consumers, families, and caregivers. Qualitative data obtained from mental health care providers and consumers across all regions of Canada are presented in this article. Policy and regulation problems, barriers to mental health care access, service providers' perspectives of the challenges to consumer involvement, and solutions for addressing these issues are discussed. The article concludes by identifying how this research has informed and influenced initial steps toward mental health promotion and treatment of mental illness in rural and isolated Canada.

Detection of a biomarker for the cancer status of ovarian epithelial cells

A screen of ovarian and breast non-malignant and malignant samples was conducted using a novel antiserum against the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) to assess the status of the PCNA protein in the samples. The novel antiserum, called “B1 antiserum”, was generated against a synthetic peptide representing a binding domain of the PCNA protein. Protein extracts from primary cultures of non-malignant ovarian surface epithelial cells, ovarian cancer cell lines, non-malignant ovarian tissue samples and ovarian tumours were prepared and resolved by 2 D gel electrophoresis, transferred to membranes and blotted with the B1 antiserum. The antiserum detected a novel protein, as well as PCNA, in the non-malignant samples but the novel protein was absent in the malignant samples. The novel protein was detected at a molecular weight of about 45 kD and an isoelectric point (pI) of approximately 5.5 vs. a molecular weight of 36 kD and pI of 4.6 for PCNA. We refer to the novel protein as the B1 protein. A panel of PCNA antibodies to different epitopes of the protein did not detect the novel B1 protein in Western blots, making it unlikely that the B1 protein is a modified form of PCNA. The B1 protein has not been observed in other cell types such as fibroblasts or smooth muscle cells nor in malignant ovarian epithelial cell lines or tumor samples. Interestingly, the B1 protein does occur in the ovarian cancer line PA-1, which is not of epithelial origin. These observations indicate that B1 could be tumor suppressor associated with epithelial cell types. Support from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and U.S. D.O.D.

Advances in rural medical education in three countries: Canada, The United States and Australia

This article documents a number of rural medical education initiatives in Australia, Canada and the United States. A typology is created reflecting the centrality the rural mandate and characterizing different features of each school's program. Interviews with school officials are drawn on to reflect the challenges these schools face. Seven schools noted for their rural programs were selected from the three countries and interviews were conducted with senior officials. The interview data was supplemented by published material on the schools. The Typology: Three kinds of school are distinguished: Mixed Urban/Rural Schools (University of Washington, US, the University of British Columbia, Canada, and Flinders University, Australia); DeFacto Rural Schools (University of New Mexico, US and Memorial University, Canada) and Stand Alone Rural Schools (James Cook University, Australia and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Canada). The Pipeline Approach: All of the schools adopted in varying degrees a pipeline approach to meeting the need for rural doctors focusing on: (a) early recruitment; (b) admissions; (c) locating clinical education in rural settings; (d) rural health focus to curriculum; and (e) support for rural practice. The analysis does not strongly favor one model over others, although the Stand-Alone Rural schools had more opportunities to adopt innovative curricula reflecting rural health issues and to foster positive views of rural practice. Government funding targeting rural health needs will remain critical in the development of all these programs.

Advances in rural medical education in three countries: Canada, the United States and Australia

This article documents a number of rural medical education initiatives in Australia, Canada and the United States. A typology is created reflecting the centrality the rural mandate and characterizing different features of each school's program. Interviews with school officials are drawn on to reflect the challenges these schools face. Seven schools noted for their rural programs were selected from the three countries and interviews were conducted with senior officials. The interview data was supplemented by published material on the schools. The Typology: Three kinds of school are distinguished: Mixed Urban/Rural Schools (University of Washington, US, the University of British Columbia, Canada and Flinders University, Australia); DeFacto Rural Schools (University of New Mexico, US and Memorial University, Canada) and Stand Alone Rural Schools (James Cook University, Australia and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Canada). The Pipeline Approach: All of the schools adopted in varying degrees a pipeline approach to meeting the need for rural doctors focusing on: (a) early recruitment; (b) admissions; (c) locating clinical education in rural settings; (d) rural health focus to curriculum; and (e) support for rural practice. The analysis does not strongly favor one model over others, although the Stand-Alone Rural schools had more opportunities to adopt innovative curricula reflecting rural health issues and to foster positive views of rural practice. Government funding targeting rural health needs will remain critical in the development of all these programs.

Northern Ontario School of Medicine opens

Canada's first new medical school in 30 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine opens its doors Sept. 6 with an entry class of 56 students and an innovative model of medical training. Four years and $95.3 million in the making, the school ([www.normed.ca/][1]) was created to alleviate the