FAQs for Medical/NP Students and Medical Residents
General
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT YOUR SITE?
Very collegial practice among physicians and between disciplines, an active CME program and scope and time to extend skills as needed based on patient’s needs.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AT YOUR SITE/COMMUNITY?
Limited amenities (pools, gyms, rinks, shopping), expensive groceries and complete lack of anonymity!
WHAT SORT OF SOCIAL NETWORK CAN WE EXPECT? WHAT KINDS OF ACTIVITIES ARE STAFF (PHYSICIANS AND OTHERS) INVOLVED WITH AND ARE THERE OPTIONS FOR US TO BE INCLUDED?
There is a lively cultural life here:
- A monthly Coffeehouse between September and March
- A community choir that meets weekly through the winter months (conducted by one of our physicians, Gordon Horner)
- The Haida Heritage Centre and Gwaii Hanaas park office host talks and events on a regular basis
- The Haida Gwaii Arts Council brings in performers (writers, poets, musicians) on a regular basis
- Daajing Giids hosts a highly popular community Halloween Dance
- June is the time for our long running, annual Hospital Day celebration
- Skidegate hosts the popular Skidegate Days in July
- Sandspit puts on Logger Sports Day in the summer.
- Tlell has both the earliest Fall fair in BC (August long weekend)
- The Edge of the World Music Festival is one of the best gatherings of its kind!
- For several years now the Haida Gwaii Institute has hosted a university field program which brings a couple of dozen keen young students to the islands through the fall and now also the spring semesters, which livens up the youth scene here considerably.
WHAT TYPE OF GYM FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE? IS THERE AN INDOOR POOL? WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
There is a gym open for public use (you first need to register with Haida Gwaii Recreation) in the evenings at the high school, a yoga studio and lots of outdoor recreation. There are no swimming pools on Haida Gwaii, but surfing with wet suits is gaining popularity at the north (Masset) end of the island, and a surf shop there rents suits and boards. Please visit Haida Gwaii Recreation for more information about local programs.
WHAT SORT OF RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES WILL WE HAVE AND WHAT SORT OF EQUIPMENT SHOULD WE BRING AND/OR BORROW?
In addition to surfing and beachcombing and hiking, kayaking is very popular and can be enjoyed year-round; rentals are available and several staff have boats which they are willing to lend out. Fishing is integral to life here as well, and residents have been known to be invited along for trips through ‘the narrows’ to the west side in season, or simply for crabbing runs in the inlet.
WE ARE A COUPLE. CAN YOU TAKE 2 LEARNERS AT YOUR SITE AT THE SAME TIME?
Yes, we can manage two residents at once, provided that we do not have additional learners already booked. We can only handle two learners at any given time due to limited space and preceptor availability.
Accomodations
PLEASE DESCRIBE THE AVAILABLE ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS AND THEIR COST. PETS ALLOWED?
For single residents, an apartment has traditionally been supplied by Northern Health at no cost; residents with pets or families may need to look for alternative accommodations - please contact us early for helpful suggestions, and check out Go Haida Gwaii.
I HAVE A PARTNER/FAMILY…ARE THERE SUITABLE ACCOMMODATIONS AT YOUR SITE FOR US?
As above, this requires some time to arrange as rental accommodation here is typically in short supply. Contact us early for tips on how to proceed.
Clinical
What level of independence is expected?
Med/NP Students will work closely with their assigned preceptor, usually shadowing them for the first day, and then taking over the initial assessment (history, physical examination) under direct observation. Each case is reviewed and concluded before the patient leaves the clinic/ER.
Residents function with increasing autonomy through their rotation here. Initially close follow-up with the preceptor is expected with some observed encounters, transitioning to managing a full slate of patients with the daily preceptor available for corridor consults and chart review at the end of the day.
Residents function with increasing autonomy through their rotation here. Initially close follow-up with the preceptor is expected with some observed encounters, transitioning to managing a full slate of patients with the daily preceptor available for corridor consults and chart review at the end of the day.
Will I be managing cases in the ER on our own in the daytime? At night?
Med students/NP are not expected to manage any patients independently. All cases must be reviewed with their preceptor before the patient leaves the clinic/ER/Hospital.
Most residents will eventually feel able to work independently in the ER for low and moderate acuity, but are expected to call on the preceptor early for complex patients, admissions, and transfers. Preceptor is always available for in-person or telephone support, day and night
Most residents will eventually feel able to work independently in the ER for low and moderate acuity, but are expected to call on the preceptor early for complex patients, admissions, and transfers. Preceptor is always available for in-person or telephone support, day and night
HOW MANY DAYS WILL I WORK IN THE OFFICE EACH WEEK?
Med/NP students follow their preceptor's schedule, which is similar to a resident's schedule (see next paragraph).
Residents are booked Monday to Thursday, with Friday mornings set aside for rounds, teaching, and administration, and an afternoon for academic ½ day as per the resident’s site. There is an outreach clinic on Tuesdays in Sandspit (a short drive and ferry ride away) which the resident and the preceptor of the day usually go to together. Typically there will be one day "on-call" through the week (with a post-call day off) and one weekend on-call each month (with the following Monday off) . We often book procedures on post-call days and residents participate in these as desired.
Residents are booked Monday to Thursday, with Friday mornings set aside for rounds, teaching, and administration, and an afternoon for academic ½ day as per the resident’s site. There is an outreach clinic on Tuesdays in Sandspit (a short drive and ferry ride away) which the resident and the preceptor of the day usually go to together. Typically there will be one day "on-call" through the week (with a post-call day off) and one weekend on-call each month (with the following Monday off) . We often book procedures on post-call days and residents participate in these as desired.
How many patients will I see in one day?
Med/NP Students will see patients along with their preceptor. Due to time contraints, they may not see all patients booked that day - on average, they will assess 6 patients per full clinic day. This leave adequate time for case review and teaching. On call days, they may see many more, depending on how busy it gets. They are also expected to round daily on any acute patients admitted under their preceptor (0-3 on average).
Residents are booked ½ h visits from 10:00-12:00 and 13:30-16:30, so about 10 patients daily. On call visits are shorter and must be juggled with emergency room duties. Residents are also expected to round on any acute patients admitted under their care and are encouraged to follow them until the time of discharge (even if their MRP is not the resident's current preceptor).
Residents are booked ½ h visits from 10:00-12:00 and 13:30-16:30, so about 10 patients daily. On call visits are shorter and must be juggled with emergency room duties. Residents are also expected to round on any acute patients admitted under their care and are encouraged to follow them until the time of discharge (even if their MRP is not the resident's current preceptor).
HOW MANY DELIVERIES WILL I BE INVOLVED IN DURING AN (8 WEEK/16 WEEK) ROTATION?
We manage a low volume (20-30/year) low-risk obstetrics with midwives leading and providing most intrapartum care with physician backup. Depending on the client, students/residents may be included in the delivery especially for patients they have seen antenatally. We have no surgical capability on-island so there are occasional intra-partum urgent transfers to Prince Rupert via medevac, which might be accompanied by the RM or at times by the resident.
What academic activities and formal teaching are available at your site?
We have an active weekly CME over the lunch hour on Fridays, sometimes video-conferenced with our sister site in Masset. We cover a variety of rural-relevant topics, M&M rounds (often done by the residents), and occasionally host off-site guest speakers. In addition, at the Daajing Giids site, we run a weekly, multidisciplinary SIM every Friday, from 11 ro 12pm.
For more details, visit the Rural Meducation page.
For more details, visit the Rural Meducation page.
I am considering a third year in GP Surgery – what sort of involvement in OR cases can I expect? What sorts of General Surgery Cases occur there?
Unfortunately there is no surgical capability on Haida Gwaii apart from ‘lumps and bumps’ and the occasional vasectomy.
Does your practice have electronic medical records?
We have electronic records using MOIS for the office and PowerChart for inpatients, though the hospital still has paper charts, most MD’s document in MOIS and then print these notes for the hospital chart to allow more seamless inpatient/outpatient care.
Will I have my own examining room and/or office space?
There is an office with three desks and computers for students and residents, often with just one resident using the space. It has a beautiful view of Skidegate Inlet and adjoins the other physician offices allowing for easy corridor-consults. Residents have a designated examination room in the clinic. Students usually share a room with their preceptor.
Is there a portable U/S in emergency that we can use? Do you have access to CT scans?
Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has become an essential part of our practice here. We have two machines in the hospital, one kept in the corridor outside the clinical exam rooms, and one in the emergency department. There is also a small unit housed at the Sandspit clinic. Teaching and practice with ultrasound is an important piece of your experience here; our practice continues to expand and presently includes early pregnancy, late pregnancy for position and AFI, fracture diagnosis, guided injections of joints/nerves and aspirations from pleural and peritoneal spaces. There is no CT machine on the islands to date.
Is there a radiologist there or will we interpret our own x-rays etc.?
Residents and physicians read their own x-rays but the radiologist is available on-call to review, and typically at present even without calling will have a dictated interpretation available within 24h, often within a few hours. There is a radiologist on-call if you need an urgent review.
How many in-patient beds are there and how many patients do you follow in an average week?
Our hospital has 8 acute beds, 8 long-term care beds. Residents and students usually follow any patient they have admitted when on-call through their stay. This is rarely more than one or two patients at once. We usually assign one of the long-term patients to our learners (especially those with us for more than 8 weeks) to gain a feel for long-term care (and an excuse to spend some time in the very beautiful long-term care wing!).
Are there GP specialists? What type?
There are no GP specialists on site, though some enhanced skills in ultrasound, oncology and early pregnancy management.
Are there visiting specialists? If so, what type / how often?
On average two or three specialist visits to our site monthly including pediatrics, physiatry, orthopedics, rheumatology, obs/gyn, ENT, ophthalmology, cardiology, and psychiatry.