Undergraduate MD Program Details: Markham-Stouffville
Markham-Stouffville Hospital Family Medicine Teaching Unit
Type of Practice
Students spend most of their time at the Markham Family Medicine Teaching Unit (FMTU). Our physicians and allied health professionals have diverse interests including palliative care, geriatrics, home visits, low-risk obstetrics and global health.
Location of Practice
The Markham FMTU is located adjacent to the Markham Stouffville Hospital. The Cornell Community Centre is linked to the hospital and provides access to a library, fitness centre, running track and swimming pool.
Special Features of Site: Global Health
The Markham FMTU provides enhanced curriculum on global health. The goal of this curriculum is to help students and residents become caring, culturally-sensitive physicians who understand the determinants of health. The Markham FMTU hosts monthly global health lunch rounds which address a wide variety of global health, health advocacy and intercultural health topics. As one of the most multicultural communities in Canada, Markham provides a unique opportunity for clinical clerks to experience family medicine in a culturally diverse setting.
Mandatory Experience
Family medicine, prenatal care, interprofessional learning experiences.
Clerkship Electives/Selectives
- Palliative care
- Rehab
- Home visits
- Low-risk obstetrics
Testimonials
Student 1 - "The Markham site was a great location to do Family Medicine. I had the opportunity to work closely with roughly 6 staff and various second year FM residents throughout my time there. Everyone was very welcoming, helpful, and provided excellent teaching about the general practice of Family Medicine. There were also great opportunities to get involved with women's health as many of the physicians specialize in this area (i.e. we got to perform speculum exams, do pap smears, and observe IUD insertions). I was also able to gain plenty of practice administering various injections (IM, subQ, TB skin tests). This clinic is multidisciplinary, so the staff schedule time for students to observe other members of the care team, including nurses and pharmacists, and they encourage students to attend the lunch time rounds for residents as extra teaching. I particularly enjoyed working with the FM residents because they provided great advice and teaching relevant to my level of training and it made my time there all the more enjoyable. Logistics wise, it definitely helps to live in Markham or close by but it is accessible by bus (there are several bus stops that run through the hospital grounds), and staff parking is relatively affordable (~$45 a month). There's a tunnel that connects the clinic to the rest of the hospital where you can find Tim Hortons and a cafeteria. It's also linked to a beautiful community centre (great for going on lunchtime walks). Overall it was a great place to do the family medicine rotation and I would highly recommend it to future students!"
Student 2 - "Markham-Stouffville Hospital Family Medicine Teaching Unit was a brilliant site to complete my family medicine rotation. During my time there, I was able to work with 6 staff as well as multiple members of the interprofessional team (i.e. nurses, pharmacist, dietitian). I especially enjoyed the fact that most staff have a tailored practice with specific areas of interest, including low-risk obstetrics care, palliative care, rehabilitation, and global health. The staff are happy to share their career planning experience and showed me the broad range of options in family practice.
All members of the team truly cared about providing learners with the best experience. Despite the challenging situation of the COVID pandemic, the team arranged a schedule that maximized my opportunity to see patients in-person and sharpen my physical examination skills under my preceptors’ supervision. I was able to observe and practice many procedural skills (i.e. injections, pap-smear, cryotherapy). I also joined residents’ weekly half-day teaching sessions on high-yield topics. Additionally, my main preceptor arranged dedicated teaching time each week to go over topics of my choice. As I progressed through my rotation and became more confident with my skill set, my preceptors allowed me to gradually have more independence in patient-care while always made me feel supported.
I also gained great insight into the family medicine residency program at the site. As clerks, we were sitting in the same room as the residents. The residents were all very friendly and shared with us helpful tips on how to survive clerkship and how to prepare for CARMS and residency.
I would highly recommend the site to future students for both core rotation and elective"
Student 3 - "Markham Stouffville Hospital is a great site for your family medicine rotation, and I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to learn from the many staff and residents there. You will see the full spectrum of family medicine at MSH, including low-risk prenatal care, pediatrics, and outpatient adult medicine and geriatrics. I had the opportunity to see a variety of complex cases, and practice many minor procedures, including injections (IM, sub-Q, TST), speculum exams and pap smears, and cerumen irrigation. I also observed several endometrial biopsies and IUD insertions. By the end of the rotation, I had seen a wide array of presenting complaints and conditions, and I felt well-prepared for my exam and subsequent rotations. Overall, family medicine at MSH was a great experience, with supportive and friendly staff, and I highly recommend this site to all future medical students."