Dr Max Blouw
Health status and health outcomes in urban areas of British Columbia are among the best in Canada, while those in rural, remote and northern parts of the province are among the worst. This situation is exacerbated by a severe shortage of health professionals in rural areas. The concerns of citizens about the adequate provision of health services reached crisis proportions at a public rally in June 2000. In response to the concerns of its constituency the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) undertook to investigate all options to educate health professionals, beginning with MD's, in the rural, remote and northern parts of the province. I will report on the findings of a small group from UNBC concerning who consulted widely about what is important in the education of practitioners for practice in rural areas. I will also report on progress toward an innovative partnership between UNBC, situated in a remote northern city, with the University of British Columbia, a large urban university with a well-established medical school, to deliver MD education that is targeted to produce rural physicians.