Kenora Northwestern Ontario Medical Program FAQ 
Revision 0.91a    

Guide for Students and Residents 
     

By: Kevin Leung & Alice Wong 
Last Updated: Nov. 11, 1997 
    

This guide to frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the Kenora will hopefully guide you until you're up and running and is based upon our experiences there.  It is by no means complete or definitive but may help ease the tensions of your transition there.    

If you have anything to add to this guide, please contact [email protected].  Thanks and enjoy.     

[FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS]    

1. Activities of Daily Living.
	What do I have to consider while flying to Kenora?
	How do I get to my NOMP residence?
	Where is the NOMP residence?
	Where can I buy food and stuff?
	What can I do in Kenora?
	Do I have access to a computer, e-mail or internet?    

2. Academic and Hospital Activities.
	How do I get my schedule in Kenora?
	What study resources are available?
	Can you give me a quick overview of the major activities?
		- Radiology
		- Obstetrics
		- Emergency
		- Pathology
		- Office Clinics
		- Reserve visits    

3. Acknowledgements
    

[1. ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING]
     

At the Airport: 
     

Bearskin airline planes have very limited capacity for carry on luggage so keep your carry on to as small a size as possible.  As you are leaving, you will be required to pay a $5 airport tax for leaving Kenora.  If you plan to sign-up for aeroplan, do so before you leave on your trip as you need to register your flight for air points BEFORE your trip.   
     

Getting to your place:     

To reach your residence (at the time I was there, this was 7 Sylvan Ave), you can take a taxi.  If you choose "Sunset Limo & Transportation (548-1450)" you can get them to charge your trip into town to the Medical society.  The residences were brand-spanking new (10/97) and are right by the lake affording an excellent view and a great living space.  Indeed, they were one of the true joys during the Kenora experience. 
     

Living at 7 Sylvan: 
     

You'll find that all dishes, pots and cutlery are furnished there.  There is a washer/dryer in the unit and you'll be able to cook all your own meals.  Indeed, even towels and bedding are provided for you so that you can pack light and concentrate on brining any books you plan to study from.  Note that garbage pick-up occured on Friday mornings.  I was never able to determine whether there was a recycling service.  In addition, there is a TV with cable at the place for added entertainment during your busy elective.     

The address is: 7 Sylvan Ave, Kenora, Ont. P9N 3W7
don't forget to include the apartment number when giving out your address to your friends and contacts.
     

Shopping: 
     

There are the essentials of shopping and although you won't be able to experience Holt Renfrew, all the essentials are there including a Zellers and Safeway. There is an ample supply of the fast food franchises from the ever present McDonald's to slightly better dinner-fare like Casey's and Pizza hut.  Note, the town centre (Main Street) is a mere 15 min. walk away from your place but you'll need a set of wheels to get to the more interesting places.     

Entertainment:    

Unfortunately, my time spent in Kenora was mainly putting together letters for residency, as such, it is not the most comprehensive when it comes to entertainment but I'll try.  There is 1 local theatre that plays 1 movie/week.  The billing changes on Friday evening.  In terms of the drinking scener, there is a local pub (Haps on Main street) and a bar (the Keswick)    

Also on Main street is a library with a fairly good collection.  To gain access, either 1) enroll for membership by paying $10 or 2) show proof that you're living in Kenora.  I managed to achieve the latter by mailing myself an empty envelope and presenting it to the library. 
     

Computer and Internet Access: 
     

There is a paucity of computers for student use at the hospital.  If you go to the local library, you can get access to the internet for about $5/30 min.   However, you'll need to know how to access your e-mail account by telnet.  Another option which I found incredibly useful was to bring my own laptop up and modem.  I was able to sign up for local internet access with "Technet" for a very reasonable $25/40 hours; ask for Randy as he is extremely helpful and friendly to the student "surfer." 
     

If you need to print out academic reports, you can ask/beg/borrow time on the office computers either in the administrative wing or via the nursing units.  However beware as Wordperfect is the software suite of choice and only inkjet printers are available.  If you absolutely need a laser printer, you can borrow Dr. Kyle's in radiology (but DON'T tell him I sent you:)
     

[2. ACADEMIC AND HOSPITAL ACTIVITIES]     

Detailed Schedule/Physician Contacts:    

Upon your arrival and the first day you arrive at the hospital, Dr. Harland will be there to greet and welcome you to the folds of Lake of the Woods hospital.  He has a well laid out list of all the physicians that you can work with (including phone numbers) and all the academic/learning activities that are available to you.  In addition, there will be a framework of a schedule for clinics worked out for you with ample time to enjoy the region and to go where your interests lead you.
     

Medical Texts and Library:    

Remembering that there are only about 20+ physician's in Kenora, it is not impossible to understand why there is no real medical library in the hospital.  There is a small collection in the doctor's lounge in the hospital with a few journals and a couple of reference texts (often dated).  I encourage you to bring up any material that you wish to study from during your stay.    

Radiology    

For any budding radiologists out there, or for anyone wanting to brush up on reading X-rays, spending some time in the Radiology department is a great idea. Dr. Kyle reads films from the night before every morning from 8:00 to around 9:30. You'll see a lot of pathology because all film requistions from the area get sent to him. Also, most of what goes through the department is plain chest and bone films, so this is a good opportunity to review basics. You can also stick around and watch GI studies, but Dr. Kyle usually expects you only to stay for the reading of last night's films. To get the most out of the experience, make sure to ask questions, otherwise Dr. Kyle will just zip through the pile.    

Obstetrics    

On your orientation around the hospital, you may ask to leave your name and number at the nurses' desk if you want them to call you for deliveries. However, don't count on them to remember. If you're really keen and have some free time on your hands, it's a good idea to check in at the obstetrics ward to see if anyone's in labour. And if there is, introduce yourself to the patient and expect to spend a significant amount of time waiting on the ward until the delivery. (You can do some reading to pass the time.) The nurses and doctors will let you do exams and assist in the delivery, but only if you show that you were available earlier during the labour as well.    

Emerg shifts    

This is arguably the department where you'll learn the most, although on a slow night there can be a lot of downtime. If there is a trauma case, you'll get some hands-on experience because the staff may actually need an extra pair of hands. However, no-one will expect you to do anything you're not comfortable with. If you want to practise taking blood, introduce yourself to the tech when she arrives to do bloodwork and ask if you can do it. Everyone here is very friendly. During daytime, there are no physicians doing shifts in ER (they're called in if there's a patient for them to see). So you can go in at 5:00 when the doctor on call begins her/his shift as well. You can leave whenever you want, or go home for a dinner break if things are slow.     

Pathology    

If you wish to see an autopsy, Kenora is the place to do it (this is not some snide comment about the ability of the physicians in the town).  On average, Dr. Pan does about 30 autopsies a month.  This compares to the average of 4-6 in a typical downtown Toronto hospital in the same amount of time.  There is some interesting pathology and Dr. Pan is enthusiastic about students so just ask when the next autopsy is and pop on in.    

Office Clinics    

In all likelihood, most of your academic endeavors in Kenora will include a significant amount of time in physician's offices.  The good news is that there are about 10-15 physicians all very willing and friendly to learners coming into their environment.  The specific cases that you'll see will differ by the physician as each one has their own specialty.  Just bring your stethoscope and ID badge and show up seems to be the protocol in general.  They typically run 1-5 pm for the learning environment although there are plenty of morning clinics if you care to join them.  However, most physician's are at the hospital in the wee hours of the morning for in-patient rounds.    

Reserve Visits    

Well, there are about 4 physicians that go to visit the reserves on a regular basis and you're bound to have an opportunity to tag along to one of them.  Just set it up early and you'll have plenty of opportunity to ask all the questions you want on the trip out (typically 2 hours).  If you can, try to tag along with a physician that flies there for added fun.
     

Acknowledgements    

That's all for now folks.  Special thanks go out to Dr. Harland and Wehner for their enthusiastic supervision of students, well above and beyond the call of duty.  Also thanks go out to Joanne Norlen for letting us use her office equipment during the crucial period of residency applications.  Finally, a general round of thank-yous for all the physicians willing to take us into their offices and entertain us <smile>.
    

Kevin Leung & Alice Wong
November 11, 1997