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NAMP News
Updates from the Northern Alberta Medical Program
NAMP - Faculty Development Event
From June 20-22, an in-person Faculty Development workshop was held on-site at the Health Education Centre in Grande Prairie. The main purpose was to build the skills of those who will be integral to providing non-lecture curriculum and facilitate small group learning for the incoming first cohort of Year 1 medical students (the Class of 2029).
Thirty-five physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses shared time walking through the essentials of these vital roles, through a mixture of large group and breakout sessions. They were supported through this learning process by experienced educators from Grande Prairie and Edmonton.
"Teaching is fun, easy and important"
"It's really helpful to think about feedback and how to engage multiple levels of learners"
The NAMP team is gearing up for Day 1! Join our team – whether teaching or leading – and share in the passion of helping best develop your future colleagues.
Meet the Team
My 25 years as a General Surgeon in regional hospitals, including 19 years in Alberta's North Zone, have underscored a vital truth: we urgently need to develop clinicians – both family medicine and other specialists – who possess the expertise to confidently navigate the complex and medically challenging cases routinely seen here, often without the extensive resources of larger urban centers. The upcoming Northern Alberta Medical Program offers a powerful solution to this critical demand.
I'm pleased to contribute as the NAMP Teacher Support Lead, working with a dedicated team to recruit and support committed clinician teachers from all specialties across the North Zone.
Together, we'll provide the best possible education to the next generation of medical professionals, who will ultimately serve the residents of the North Zone.
Dr. Marc Shaw, Teacher Support Lead
I'm a professional Visual Communication Designer who has worked in health education for several years. My goal is to improve the experiences of learners, patients, and clinicians through multidisciplinary design.
Working with the NAMP team offers a fantastic opportunity for me to live in my hometown while learning and helping others with every new project.
Nicole Pernal, Educational Designer - The Learning Design Studio
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!
Patient Mentors Wanted – Join the Patient Immersion Experience
This fall, the Northern Alberta Medical Program (NAMP) in Grande Prairie will launch the Patient Immersion Experience (PIE) with its first cohort of medical students. PIE is a unique opportunity for volunteer patient mentors to help shape the education of future doctors.
NAMP is seeking local individuals who have experience living with illness or disability, connect regularly to healthcare, and are open to sharing their stories. Patient mentors will be matched with a pair of first-year medical students for three visits over the academic year. During each meeting, students will guide the conversation with questions about their mentor’s medical journey.
Mentors must live within 40 km of the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital.
Mentor insights help students better understand the patient perspective. To learn more, please complete a volunteer interest form.
NAMP extends a warm thank you to all who express interest. While we welcome every submission, participation depends on student matching and program capacity.
Questions? Contact NAMPcse@ualberta.ca
NAMP Opportunities
The Northern Alberta Medical Program has a number of exciting opportunities for faculty, administrative support staff and preceptors!
Feature Story: The Office of Rural and Regional Health (ORRH)
Mark Prins - Director of The Office of Rural and Regional Health
The Office of Rural and Regional Health (ORRH) is an administrative branch of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta that is accountable, alongside the Associate Deans of the MD Program and Post Graduate Medical Education, to the Office of the Vice-Dean, Education. The principal function of the ORRH is to assist our Faculty in the successful distribution of medical education across the province. The desired impact of this is to provide our learners with the critical experiences they require in order to understand societal needs. In rural and regional clinical spaces, our learners have the opportunity to participate in the provision of patient-centered, generalist care.
The ORRH assists in the work of distributing education through the performance of several key functions. First, we steward the budget that supports educational programming outside of Edmonton. This includes, but is not limited to, costs related to student travel and accommodation, program administration, preceptor payments, educational equipment, curriculum development, learner assessment, and faculty development. Second, we serve as a communication link between the various facets of the Faculty and the rural communities. Third, we coordinate nine different educational programs and hundreds of learners every year into rural and regional clinical environments.
We are grateful to all the physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, clinic staff, and most of all, the patients, for accommodating our learners. You all constitute a critical element of medical education! Thank you!
Northern Alberta Medical Program Start Date in Grande Prairie
Questions?
We would love to hear from you!
Contact the NAMP team at NAMPInformation@ualberta.ca
