Residents of Vita and area filled the rest stop picnic shelter Tuesday evening, welcoming two medical students to a community BBQ.
The young men are first-year medical students attending the University of Manitoba, taking part in Rural Week. The program is coordinated by the school’s Department of Family Medicine, Shared Health and rural regional health authorities, which gives future doctors a hands-on look at healthcare and life in rural communities.
Amelia Sommers from Southern Health, based out of the Vita and District Health Care Centre, noted, “We get medical students to come out and experience rural living and work life. This is my third year doing it, and every year it’s a bit different.”
This year, the two students are spending time working alongside doctors and nurse practitioners in Vita, and will also head to Sprague, another small community served by the same providers. But it’s not all clinic time, the evenings are packed with community events.
“We worked with Michelle Gawronsky, the Reeve for the RM of Stuartburn, her staff, and the Hospital Foundation to plan some fun activities,” said Sommers. “There was a farm retreat Monday, a big BBQ Tuesday, and they’ll be going horseback riding and maybe even seeing some buffalo before they leave Friday.”
Meet the students: Arinze and Ben
Arinze Munonye, a first-year med student, said he was excited to see what rural Manitoba had to offer.
“I didn’t pick a specific location, I’m pretty open-minded,” Munonye said. “I just wanted to experience rural Manitoba, and I got Vita. And honestly, it’s been really cool.”
So far, he’s been doing blood pressure checks, oxygen saturation readings, and even tried his hand at “history taking”, a key medical skill.
“History taking is about talking to patients and figuring out why they came in, when the pain started, what kind of symptoms they’re having,” he said. “It was surreal to do it on a real patient for the first time.”
Munonye, who plans to pursue family medicine, said the small-town vibe has left a big impression.
“I’m curious where I’ll end up after all this, but who knows, it might be Vita!”
His fellow student, Ha Ryun Yang “Ben”, is also in his first year of med school and says the experience is eye-opening.
“I’ve always lived in urban or suburban areas,” Ben said. “For me, rural communities were places you passed through. So, it’s been interesting to actually live here and get a feel for the lifestyle.”
Ben is considering a future in pathology and appreciates how this week is expanding his understanding of patient care beyond the lab.
“Pathologists don’t always see patients directly, but we’re still part of the care team,” he explained. “Getting to see how rural healthcare functions gives me a better idea of the bigger picture.”
Community shows its heart
The residents went all out to welcome the students. Tuesday evening, locals gathered at the Vita picnic shelter for a free community BBQ, complete with hot dogs grilled by the Stuartburn Fire Department and plenty of time for the students to mingle.
“This is our way of welcoming them,” said Reeve Michelle Gawronsky. “Yesterday, they went to a farm, today they met with council and learned about what it’s like living here and what we need in rural healthcare. We’re showing them we care.”
Gawronsky, said having the University and the province include Vita in this program is huge for the region.
“It tells us our lives matter, too,” she said. “And it shows the students that if they choose to work here one day, they’ll be supported and appreciated.”
She hopes the experience will ripple out beyond just Munonye and Ben.
“If they don’t come back themselves, maybe they’ll talk about it with their classmates. Let them know that Vita is here, and we’d love to have them.”
As Rural Week continues, it’s all about soaking in the lessons, both clinical and community based.
“We’re learning so much,” Munonye said. “Not just about medicine, but about people.”