From clinics to culinary tours to laser tag: How this Ontario city is wooing future doctors

Shahzeb Khan had never visited Cambridge, Ont., before, but after a week of exploring private gardens, entertainment venues, and shadowing family doctors and specialists, the University of Ottawa medical student is now contemplating a future in the community once he graduates.

Standing outside a glass-walled conference room at Langs Community Heath Centre, Khan expressed his newfound appreciation for Cambridge, nearly 500 km away from his current location. The city had left a lasting impression on him during his participation in the Rural Ontario Medical Placement (ROMP) week.

The program aims to expose medical students to smaller Ontario communities, allowing them to shadow local physicians, explore the area, and potentially envision a future there. With a growing need for healthcare professionals in rural and northern communities, especially in family medicine, initiatives like ROMP week are crucial in addressing the gap in access to services.

Donna Gravelle, a physician recruiter with Doctors 4 Cambridge, highlighted the shortage of family physicians in the city, emphasizing the importance of attracting new doctors to fill the gaps left by retiring practitioners. Gravelle has been organizing ROMP week in Cambridge for over 15 years and has seen its success in recruiting students to consider the city for their future practice.

During their visit, medical students spent time shadowing primary care physicians at Langs Community Health Centre, gaining valuable insights into the diverse patient population and complex healthcare needs in the community. Khan, initially not considering family medicine, found his experience in Cambridge shifting his career aspirations towards this field.

The students also had the opportunity to explore the luxurious Langdon Hall hotel and restaurant, showcasing a different side of Cambridge beyond the hospital setting. The visit to Langdon Hall highlighted the leisure, nature, and lifestyle offerings of the city, aiming to entice students with the idea of a fulfilling life outside of work.

For University of Toronto medical student Matt Hamilton, the exposure to a rural center like Cambridge provided a refreshing change from the downtown health centers he was accustomed to. Hamilton, specializing in family medicine, appreciated the different patient population and the unique relationships that this field offers.

The day ended with a visit to Activate, a gaming facility designed to engage adults, where students had a chance to relax and enjoy themselves after a day of exploration. The students expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and efforts made by the community to attract them to Cambridge, recognizing the value of mentorship and the potential for growth in their medical careers.

Although it is still early for firm commitments from the students, their positive experiences during ROMP week in Cambridge have left them considering the city for their future practice. With a mix of urban and rural life, proximity to the Greater Toronto Area, and supportive mentors, Cambridge is positioning itself as an appealing destination for aspiring healthcare professionals. The city’s long-term recruitment strategy, coupled with engaging activities and mentorship opportunities, may indeed prove successful in attracting new doctors to the community.