Dialed In - From Day 1

Message to the Inaugural NAMP Cohort – Class of 2029.

Wow! Congratulations, once again. You have made it to the MD Class of 2029!

I am not sure if any of you had this same experience after receiving your Offer of Admission, but when mine arrived in the mail (yes, direct to the mailbox on my front door) in 1987 and I rushed to open it, the world around me seemed to change a bit. The most striking was the very weird effect it had on others. An impactful example was when one of my lifelong school friends came to me the day after I received my acceptance letter to tell me that his back had been bothering him for a while. He was worried it could be his kidney and he wondered what I thought. The best I could come up with at the time was "interesting...now...which part, exactly, is 'the kidney?"'

The privilege that flows to us and responsibility that equally follows us within the profession of medicine is an unwritten yet deeply engrained contract that sets us in a unique place within society.

People will come to us for many reasons and in many ways. They will tell us many things, including many they may not have told anyone else in the entire world. They will show us things that would be impossible to show others. They will be incredibly vulnerable within our presence. All this because of the innate trust and respect that is bestowed us by society, simply from being within this profession.

Completely interwoven with this, our responsibility is significant. We must guard against complacency in our role. We must coach ourselves away from entitlement. We must continue to place the patient at the center, show them deserved respect and be honest and true in their care.

While we share this learning and working journey, it is vital we continue to reflect on this central tenet of our social contract - our privilege is grounded in our reciprocal responsibility. Only from this understanding can we further the essential tradition of our profession - to help - in the lives of others.

You are deserving members of our profession. Continue to work hard to be deserving of your role in society.

Richard Martin, Assistant Dean, Northern Alberta Medical Program

"Celebrating the NAMP's first class!"

The Northern Alberta Medical Program has officially launched! This week, the very first cohort of 30 students began their studies in Northwestern Polytechnic Health Education Centre in Grande Prairie. At the launch event, community members, faculty and staff came together to celebrate this historic milestone and wish the students success. All of the hard work, dedication and countless hours have led to this moment, and we are thrilled to welcome the first NAMP class!"

"From Aspiration to Action: Thoughts at the Start of Medical School"

“The whole team in Grande Prairie has been incredibly supportive from the moment we showed up, and the enthusiasm from the community for this program has been amazing to witness. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to be here, and excited to learn from such great people as we begin our journey at NAMP!"

Luke McDougall and Tyler Weenink

"The first week of medical school at NAMP has been nothing short of outstanding. The community, faculty, and everyone involved in the program have been incredibly welcoming, and it’s truly exciting to be part of the inaugural class of such an amazing initiative."

Stavan Vaghela

Meet the Team

About two decades ago, I immigrated to Canada, Alberta. I lived and worked in rural Alberta as a General Practitioner, then completed an Internal Medicine Specialty and Critical Care Medicine fellowship at the University of Alberta and trained in clinical research skills at Harvard Medical School.

I am privileged to be part of the NAMP team as the Research and Scholarship Lead.

I am excited to be part of a team that is focused not only on training tomorrow's physicians but also clinician-scientists who can practice in rural-regional communities and participate in research within rural-regional communities.

Tafi Madzimure, Scholarship and Research Lead

I hold a PhD in Biomedical Engineering with over a decade of experience in multidisciplinary research and academic settings. My passion is applied research that tackles real-world healthcare challenges. I’m excited to help deliver high-quality medical training while fostering research opportunities in rural regions.

Being part of NAMP is especially meaningful to me, as it represents an innovative program dedicated to advancing both medical education and community health in Northern Alberta.

Fatemeh Bakouie, Research, Scholarship and Teacher Support Administrator

NAMP Standardized Patient Program

Everyone is Welcome and Everyone is Needed.

We are committed to building a diverse team of Standardized Patients that represents the communities we serve.

What Does a Standardized Patient Do?

As a Standardized Patient, you’ll act as a patient experiencing a specific set of symptoms or concerns by presenting the same case consistently across multiple encounters. This allows medical students a chance to learn in a safe, supportive environment.

Your role helps students:

Apply clinical reasoning in realistic scenarios
Practice physical examination techniques
Strengthen professionalism and patient-centered care
Prepare for assessments with consistent, reliable case experiences

Need more information or have more questions? We're here to help! Email us directly namp.sp@ualberta.ca

Application Form

Make an impact, teach for NAMP

Inspire the next generation of physicians by teaching in the University of Alberta’s MD Program, an innovative medical school dedicated to training diverse, competent and compassionate physician leaders to serve the health needs of all Albertans. Share your expertise, shape future healthcare leaders, and make a lasting impact where it’s needed most!

Teach in the MD Program

NAMP Opportunities

The Northern Alberta Medical Program has a number of exciting opportunities for faculty, administrative support staff and preceptors!

Leadership Positions

Administrative Positions

Teaching Opportunities

Questions?

We would love to hear from you!

Contact the NAMP team at NAMPInformation@ualberta.ca