Written by Bernice Trick
Citizen staff
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Friday, 06 November 2009 |
Prince George Regional Hospital will now be called the University Hospital of the North to reflect the impact of the Northern Medical Program’s use of the hospital as its main teaching site. (Citizen photo by Brent Braaten)
During the announcement, Kevin Falcon, B.C. Health Services Minister, said the role of the hospital has changed significantly over the past five years in terms of academic development, teaching, learning and research in northern health.
"The new name better reflects the current role of the hospital as the main teaching site for the Northern Medical Program," said Falcon, referring to the doctor training program at UNBC, which trains physicians for rural and northern practice.
Dr. Bert Kelly, executive director of the Northern Medical Society said, "the NMP is the prescription issued by the people of the North and the new name captures the spirit of their intent."
"The provincial government and UNBC should be commended for delivering this critical program to the North in an astonishingly short time. It will bring benefits for generations to come."
The new name for PGRH was proposed by the Northern Medical Society some time ago and approved by both the Northern Health board and UNBC's senate and board of directors, said Dr. Charles Jago, NH board chair.
"Dr. Kelly and the society members wanted the name to reflect the fact that it is a teaching and research hospital between NH and UNBC."
Kelly said he's completely happy with the name change.
"We worked three years to get that name to reflect better what we do nowadays. PGRH has evolved from a small town hospital, to a city hospital, to a regional hospital and now a teaching hospital," said Kelly, who gives kudos to local MLAs Shirley Bond and Pat Bell "who were onside with us all the way and worked hard to see that it was done."
"We came up with a few name choices, and I believe it was Dr. Bill Simpson who came up with the final name choice. It's all part of our plan from 10 years ago to construct a centre of excellence for northern, rural and aboriginal health based in Prince George," Kelly said.
A plaque will be unveiled in the near future to mark the official name change from PGRH to UHNBC.
In 2006 the fifth floor of the hospital was renovated to provide classrooms, sleeping quarters, medical centre, lecture theatre and administrative area for about 48 third and fourth year medical students. First and second year students, now totalling about 48, spend about one-half day a week at the hospital to learn clinical skills.
The big change comes when students move into third year for two years of clinical training, Dr. David Snadden, head of the NMP, said in an earlier interview.
"They'll move through the different specialties like surgery and obstetrics, and when they get to fourth year they have more time to spend in the specialties of their interest. For example, some fourth-year students may choose to spend more time in rural communities."
Once they graduate with their medical degree, they begin two years of residency training in the region and across the country.
The 2004 and 2005 class have graduated with medical degrees, and in 2008 NMP increased its class from 24 students per year to 32.
btrick@pgcitizen.ca
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Last Updated ( Friday, 06 November 2009 )
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