By KATHLEEN DE VERE News Eprror Premicr Gordon Campbell used a visit to UNBC carlicr this January to announce a government investment of morc than $27 million to support medical cducation in British Columbia. The money will be used to expand and upgrade the amount of academ- ic space in teaching hospitals around B.C., in order to support the increas- ing number of medical students in the province. “B.C.’s economy and population are continuing to grow, and good medical care is needed in communi- tics throughout the province to sup- port that growth,” said the Premier in an announcement on January 12. “By next year we will have almost doubled the number of undergradu- ate medical students in an expansion that is leading the way in Canada. This funding follows ‘through to ensurc the infrastructure is i place at clinical facilities everywhere from Vancouver Island to northern B.C. where our medical studénts complete their hands-on education.” The Premier made the announce- ment at a press conference held on campus to welcome the first students of the expanded UBC medical pro- gram to their studics. While Campbell was on hand to speak to the Northern Medical Program stu- dents, his greetings were also relayed to the first Island Medical Program students at the University of Victoria, and students returning to UBC in the Vancouver-Fraser medical program, via the new “distributed learning” videoconferencing tedinology that links all three campuses for classes. “We recognize that medical stu- dents receive a great deal of their education on the front lines of our health-care system, not just in con- ventional classrooms,’ said Health Services Minister Shincy Bond in VOLUME IT, ISsuE 8 More Funding FEBRUARY 2, 2005, or Northern Med THE NEW PINK SINCE 1994 cal Program Proto By Row VAN ADRICHEM Premier Gordon Campbell used a visit to UNBC to announce a government investment of more than $27 million to fund community based medical training and education. regards to the announcement. “This investment will give students modern, efficient facilities where they can learn the skills they will use to provide health care to paticnts across this province.” According to government sources, the $27.6 million will be invested over the next four years in teaching hospi- tals and other clinical facilities across the province. Hospitals, clinics and health-care settings in all six health authorities will receive some of the money, whieh will be used for renova- tions Wind “iperades of acadmnic space, such as seminar rooms, on-call rooms, offices and library space. “Academic partners, -clinical part- ners, health and provincial government have joined authoritics together to usher in a new cra in medical education and research in B.C.,” said Malcolm Maxwell, CEO of the Northern Health Authority. “We know that doctors tend to practice close to where they were educated, so providing top-notch facilities around the province is the the’ best way to citstire communitics enjoy good medical care.” said Advanced Education Minister Ida Chong, “Frye already decided to practice northern B.C.. so this program was tailormacde for me,” said student Christina Neufeld, of Fort Nelson. “Tm looking forward to training in a variety of clinical settings that will prepare me tor the conditions Tl experience as a doctor,” To become a liccused practicing physician, a doctor also needs to complete postgraduate medical edu- cation commonly known as a residen- cy. Residency spaces are set to increase to 160 in 2004/05 from 128 in 2002/03. The number of residen- cies 1s planed to merease every year until 2010/11, when there are expected to be 256 residencies in B.C., an increase of 100 per cent trom 2003/0-+4. The $27.6 million to fund expan- sion and enhancement of academic space in teaching hospitals comes from the existing capital budget of the Ministry of Health Services. High-Tech Companies Show Support For Medical Program By RoB VAN ADRICHEM CONTRIBUTOR The high-tech companies that havé helped to place the Northern Mcdical Program (NMP) at the torcfront of technological innovation have been recognized for their contributions to the program. MTS Allstream Inc. received the project to install multimedia cquip- ment in the Northern Health Scicnces Centre. Two lecture theatres and vari- ous labs haye been outfitted with state- of-the-art vidcoconferencing technolo- gy and electronic control systems that will cnable medical students in Prince George to be connected with their peers and professors at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the University of Victoria. In total, MTS Allstram Inc. installed about $1.4 million worth of equipment, and sup- plicd some services in kind. In recog- nition of their support, the audiovisu- al control room in the medical build- ing will be named after MTS Allstream Inc. Meanwhile, IBM and Cisco have contributed $197,000 worth of com- puting infrastructure and support scr- vices The cquipment includes expanding the medical program’s data The Exotic Movement Revolution Never thought youd learn to shake your hips, walk with attitude and _ take off yout clothes at UINEG CT mae Bove movement storage capacity and adding a power- ful network switch that will ctlectively serie data to NMP and UNBC servers. IBM and Cisco have had a strategic alliance with UNBC to pro- vide network equipment and services throughout the Prince Geérge cam- pus. “The technology is integral to our vision for the NMP” says David Snadden, Associate Vice-President for Medicine at UNBC. “The way we are distributing all four years of a medical curriculum between Vancouver, Victoria and Prince George has never been done in Canada before.” Rainfall Wwreaks Havoc Br JONATHAN TROODHARD CUP Berrisit COLUMBLE BUREAU CHIE VANCOUVER ‘CUP: — Record rainfall in British Columbia com- bined with the sudden melt of a large snow pack lias wreaked havoc on B.C. roads, closed down schools and has resulted in the more than mudslide danger. And carly Jan. 19 morning, tlic rain collapsed a ridge in North Vancouver, sending a giant wave of mud that flattened the house of for- mer Capilano College computer sci- Hopelessly in Love? you're a guy, but there are ways to get the girl you've been dreaming of since you first laid eyes on her. - Arts & Entertainment, 10. cvacuation of 100 homes for fear of Sometimes love hurts, especially if ence professor Eliza Kutter. Her husband, Langara College teacher Michacl Kutmer was pulled alive trom the 100-inetre-loug mess of debris by neighbours shortly after the 3:15 a.m. mudslide, and then was taken in critical condition to Lions Gate Hospital. Over 200 search and rescue work- ers combed the slide’s path, but Eliza’s body was not found until more than 50 metres the about 2 p.m., from stood, where house originally CONTINUED ON PAGE 4