College of Medicine Regina campus kicks-off academic year offering complete MD degree, campus expansion
The University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Medicine Regina Campus welcomed its first cohort of Year 1 students on Aug. 3.
By Amanda Symynuk“We are excited to have these future physicians start their training in Regina,” said Dr. Gill White, associate dean of the College of Medicine Regina campus. “This is something that we have been working toward for many years.”
The arrival of first year students marks the expansion of the college’s teaching and learning presence in Regina. Starting in Fall 2022, the complete Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree is offered in two Saskatchewan cities.
The Regina campus is located in the Regina General Hospital. Learners have access to study and classroom space, the Dilawri Simulation Centre, student access to the Health Sciences Library, and an auditorium. The campus is expanding its learning facilities to include an anatomy lab and classrooms to accommodate the first year of the MD degree curriculum.
“I am thrilled to welcome the new class of first year medical students to the Regina Campus of the College of Medicine,” said Dr. Susan Shaw, Chief Medical Health Officer, Saskatchewan Health Authority. “The expansion of medical training to be the full four years of medical school in Regina creates many benefits not only for the students but also for our clinical programs and teams.
“My thanks to the many staff and physicians across the College of Medicine and Saskatchewan Health Authority who have worked so hard to make this possible,” she added.
The first two years of medical school take place on campus. Third and fourth-year students will shift into clinical training, gaining experience at various locations around the province.
Prior to 2022, students completed the first year of their program in Saskatoon, then 40 of the class of 100 students would relocate to the Regina campus to finish their degree. The goal of the program expansion is to avoid disruption of transitioning between campuses and attract more program applicants from southern Saskatchewan.
In the first week of August, the campus also welcomed cohorts of returning second-, third- and fourth-year learners in the MD program.
New residents also started their programs at the Regina campus in July.
More information about undergraduate and postgraduate programs available in Regina can be found at medicine.usask.ca/regina.