Canada is facing a critical shortage of physicians. In Southwestern Ontario, certain counties face up to a 40% shortage of family physicians [1]. Efforts to address this problem will need to look at short, mid, and long-term strategies to create a lasting and meaningful solution.

Students from rural/regional backgrounds are more likely to return to practice in their hometowns. However, students from the major urban centre in Ontario (Greater Toronto Area) apply almost three times more frequently than their counterparts in smaller regional centres.

The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry’s Southwestern Ontario Medical Education Network has developed MedQUEST: a strategic collaborative program that encourages students from Southwestern Ontario, an area with a substantial rural population, to apply in greater numbers to medical school.

MedQUEST is a one-week summer program for Grade 10 and 11 students that will have local physicians, nurses and medical/nursing students delivering an exciting curriculum to regional high school students. Students will be supported by their schools for demonstrating academic skills, leadership qualities, and interest in the field of medicine.

MedQUEST is designed to provide students with realistic experiences in the field of medicine using state-of-the-art advanced simulator training, peer workshops, and the opportunity to watch physicians/nurses in a clinical setting. Over the course of the week students will learn:

Research projects tied to this program are being presented nationally and internationally. As far as we are aware, no other Canadian program delivers this type of camp in the very communities it is designed to serve.

Early exposure to the practice of medicine can help influence students' career plans and ultimately increase the chance of successfully entering medical school [2]. Similarly, these types of exposures can influence students to choose a career in nursing and many other health professions. With many communities in Southwestern Ontario facing a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, successful strategies, like MedQUEST, will be instrumental in the proactive, strategic development of future health manpower planning.