Rural Week is a one week learning experience for all first year medical students enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba. Rural Week provides an opportunity for the students to get first-hand experience and exposure to not just rural and northern medicine but rural and northern life. It is an opportunity for participating communities to showcase themselves and promote the opportunities and benefits of rural and northern medicine.
Rural Week is an approved component of the Med 1 curriculum and the entire class will spend one week in communities in rural and northern Manitoba. The experience will provide all first year medical students with a rural based clinical and community experience. Students will gain exposure to the work and lifestyle of the rural physician, and experience some aspects of rural life.
Overall since the program's inception in 2003, evaluations by students, preceptors and communities have been overwhelmingly positive. Students that participated in Rural Week in the past felt the experience was conductive to learning, provided good clinical exposure and informed them about the varied scope of rural and remote/northern medicine.
Rural Week is coordinated by organizers at the Univeristy of Manitoba - Department of Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) in conjunction with the Office of Rural and Northern Health (ORNH).
