The fourth edition of the McGill Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences’ (FMHS) Summer Program for International Medical Students was held earlier this summer in Montreal. The second iteration to be held in person, this year’s program welcomed a diverse group of 26 participants, representing 11 universities across nine countries.
The program was designed in support of the Faculty’s mission to work collaboratively across borders toward healthier societies, worldwide and provides an opportunity for the Faculty’s School of Medicine to share theoretical and applied knowledge and expertise gained through the years, and to also learn from other universities. It is an immersive experience that takes place over the course of three weeks, allowing students to experience what it is like to be a medical student at McGill, in one of the most student-friendly cities in the world.
“Summer school is a highlight of the year, where medical students from all over the world can come and have a ‘McGill experience’ as part of their studies,” says Sender Liberman, MDCM, Assistant Dean, International Affairs at the FMHS. “All the faculty who participate were excited to do so and we take great pride in providing a program that stimulates the interest of the students and hopefully adds to their learning.
This year’s summer program was comprised of eight clinical modules of lectures, case-based workshops, simulations and other hands-on activities. Also included were seven cross-cutting modules to incorporate global health, professionalism and research translation. The students themselves indicated that all facets of the experience left an impression. Asked to identify what they liked most, one student said, “Everything: the lectures were very informative and relevant, the simulations and practicums we did were enriching and the great balance between education and getting to explore this beautiful city.” A second student added that, “I liked all the fun and engaging hands-on experiences such as the workshops and the clinical tours. I also really liked being able to interact with patients and the residents here to learn more about my future in medicine. Another thing I liked was the fun opportunities such as tours and museum visits.”
Fadi Habbab, MD, Program Director for the Summer Program was once again happy with how things unfolded. “The most recent edition of the Summer Program for International Medical Students continues to build on the success of previous editions. For this year, we had more students enrolled from more countries than ever before,” notes Dr. Habbab. “We look forward to expanding the global footprint of the Program even further in future years.”
Click on any photo below to launch a slideshow. (Photos: Owen Egan and Joni Dufour)
