Doctors-to-be flocked to Chatham-Kent last week as part of Discovery Week 2025.
For the past 27 years, as part of Discovery Week, all first-year medical students at the University of Western Ontario have participated in immersive, one-week placements in health-care settings across Southwestern Ontario, including the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.
A group of students from the school began their training at CKHA.
During their placements at CKHA, medical students are exposed to teamwork and collaboration within a non-urban setting and have opportunities to discover all the community has to offer.
“Immersive placements like this give future physicians a real sense of what it’s like to live and practice in our community,” said Dr. Zeke Milkovic, acting chief of staff at CKHA. “It’s more than just clinical experience – it’s about building connections, understanding the local culture, and seeing firsthand how rewarding it can be to care for the people who live here.”
University officials said the partnership is important.
“We are incredibly grateful for the continued collaboration with partners who welcome our medical students into their communities and provide them with unparalleled first-hand experiences,” said Dr. Victor Ng, assistant dean at the Schulich Medicine & Dentistry element of the university. “Together, we’re training and inspiring a cohort of physicians who are eager and prepared to practise in small and mid-sized communities across Ontario.”
From June 2 to 5, Schulich medical students were welcomed as temporary members of the Chatham-Kent community, giving them the opportunity to meet patients, experience the unique health-care systems and interact with colleagues, getting the experience of what a day in the life of a local health-care provider looks like in Chatham-Kent.
More than 190 med school students took part across the region.
