"Eye-opening" is the first word that came to mind when Shu Juan Zhou reflected back on this past weekend's Rural Skills Day hosted by the Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan (RPAP) in Westlock, Alberta.
For the first time, physical therapy students, including Zhou, joined medical and nursing students from the University of Alberta on April 20 and 21 to gain hands-on experience and a new perspective on what it would be like to work in a rural community.
"We got to go for a tour, which included a visit to the Westlock Hospital, a community dinner and even a trip to the local tractor museum!" said Zhou, a second-year physical therapy student from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. "I'm very grateful to RPAP for the experience."
The RPAP has been hosting Rural Skills Days for medical students in Alberta since 2004, with the integration of nursing students in 2012. "By liaising with community groups, local area health-care facilities and Alberta Health Services, RPAP is able to provide hundreds of students every year a chance to experience real-world skills development in a rural community, which, for many, is their first experience outside an urban centre," says David Kay, executive-director of the RPAP, which is a non-profit organization funded through Alberta Health that focuses on physician recruitment and retention in rural Alberta communities.
While at the Westlock Hospital, students were given several practice scenarios to tackle as a team, ranging from cardiac emergency care, casting and suturing to delivering a "baby".
"I love that we had a range of scenarios to work through with students from different disciplines," said Zhou. "It was interesting to see how other health-care professionals would respond to a scenario, compared to how I would. We all worked together to manage the patient's needs; what a great team building experience!"
The interdisciplinary aspect of this program is what led to the inclusion of physical therapy students in Westlock. "This trip allows students to experience first-hand the level of collaboration required of rural health-care professionals," explains Bernadette Martin, associate chair, Department of Physical Therapy.
In addition to meeting other participants from different faculties, students took the time to network and ask local professionals questions.
Zhou, in particular, got to hear the benefits first-hand from local physiotherapist Murray Tuininga. "He explained that medical practitioners in rural communities tend have a broader range of caseloads," said Zhou. "I think I would like this because I always like a challenge and helping patients learn more about their health."
After having this experience, Zhou, a self-proclaimed "city-gal", says that she's open to working in Westlock following graduation. "If the opportunity came up, I would definitely consider it!"
Photo by Cait Wills. From left to right: Mahsa Kamali, Vanessa Lam, Lynn Unterschultz