Undergraduate Skills Night: Sparking an Interest in Family Medicine

For many medical students, the moments that shape a career aren't always found in lecture halls. They're found in the conversations with mentors, the first time a new skill clicks, and the evenings spent discovering what kind of doctor they hope to become.

On March 30, the Undergraduate Division of the University of Saskatchewan's Department of Family Medicine hosted an Undergraduate Skills Night simultaneously at West Winds Primary Health Centre in Saskatoon and the Family Medicine Unit in Regina. Approximately 30 students attended at each site for a hands-on evening designed to give learners a closer look at what a career in family medicine can offer.

A night built around hands-on learning

Students rotated through three stations over the course of the evening: Suture & Punch Biopsy, Vasectomy, and a Clerkship Overview. Each station was led by family medicine faculty and residents who walked learners through the techniques, answered questions, and shared stories from their own training and practice. For many students, it was their first chance to try procedural skills outside of a formal classroom setting, and the energy at both events reflected that.

"It was one of the most fun nights I've had in med school so far," one student from the Saskatoon event shared afterward. "You get to actually try things, ask questions, and see a number of things you can do with family medicine."

For Dr. Matt Kushneriuk, Undergraduate Director with the Department of Family Medicine, the evening is one piece of a much larger picture.

"Family Medicine Skills Night complements early exposure to family medicine throughout the undergraduate medical education curriculum. Students are exposed to family medicine in their pre-clerkship years as part of the Longitudinal Family Medicine Experience. The Skills Night provides a chance to socialize with family medicine physicians and residents, develop mentorships, and learn more about procedures based within family medicine. It is also an opportunity to learn more about the core clerkship family medicine rotation and elective opportunities."

Showcasing the range of family medicine

While the skills stations were the obvious draw, organizers were equally focused on the bigger picture: helping students see family medicine as a rewarding, varied, and sustainable career path.

"Our goal for the evening was to give students a genuine, firsthand look at what family medicine can look like, and we were excited to partner with the Family Medicine Club to make that possible," said Colie Thomas, Manager of UGME and Faculty Development. “Family medicine stands out for its expansive scope, offering both depth and versatility within one specialty. We want students to leave feeling inspired and genuinely curious about what a future in family medicine can hold."

That wide scope was on full display through the various stations, where learners could ask honest questions about training, lifestyle, and what drew the instructor to the specialty in the first place. From procedural skills to candid conversations about clerkship, the evening offered a window into the day-to-day realities of family practice.

A coordinated effort across two cities

Pulling off a simultaneous event in Saskatoon and Regina takes coordination, and the administrative teams at both sites were central to making the evening run smoothly. Tracy Lewis in Saskatoon and Jeanette Bellavance in Regina worked alongside faculty and residents to ensure both events ran on schedule and that students had everything they needed to make the most of the night.

"When students get to meet residents and faculty in a relaxed setting, try their hand at real skills, and ask the questions they've been wondering about, it opens their eyes to what family medicine really offers. That's exactly what we want," said Dr. Kushneriuk. "These skills nights also help our department continue to build strong connections with the Family Medicine Club and students who may have an early interest in the specialty of family medicine."

A heartfelt thank you

The Undergraduate Division of the USask Department of Family Medicine extends a sincere thank you to every student who came out, asked questions, and embraced the evening with such enthusiasm. A special thanks goes to the faculty and residents who volunteered their time and expertise to lead the stations, and to Colie, Matt, Tracy, and Jeanette, whose behind-the-scenes work across Saskatoon and Regina made it all possible.

Judging by the energy at both events, Skills Night will be a fixture on the calendar for years to come.