#119: Clinical and Cultural Perspectives on Rural Family Medicine

Canadians in rural areas make up one-fifth of the population yet are served by only 8% of the physician population. With limited access to primary care, mental health care, and specialist care, rural Canadians experience worse health outcomes compared to the rest of the population. In this episode of Raw Talk Podcast, we dive into the current state of rural health care in Canada. Our featured guests in this episode are Dr. Ojistoh Horn (Family Physician at Akwesasne Medical Clinic and Lecturer at McGill University) and Dr. Catherine Cervin (Retired Family Physician and former Vice Dean Academic at Northern Ontario School of Medicine). Our guests provide us with an overview of social, political, and environmental differences in rural settings and the challenges faced by these communities in accessing various health care resources. Dr. Horn speaks about her experience as a physician in a rural community and strategies for navigating various equity, cultural sensitivity, and accessibility issues. Dr. Cervin provides an outline of education, skills, and training requirements to train as a physician in a rural setting. Our guests end off with some advice to the next generation of medical students aspiring to care for Canadians in rural areas.