The University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine is expanding its teaching and learning presence in Regina in August 2022 when that campus will become home to about 40 first-year medical students.

Since 2012, the college’s Regina campus, based at the Regina General Hospital, has been home to about 120 medical doctor students in years two through four of the program. In a little over a year, 40 of the 100 medical students entering year one of the program will be completing their entire medical degree based at the Regina campus.
One of the main goals of offering all four years of the MD program in Regina is to attract more southern Saskatchewan applicants, which may improve local graduate retention rates.

Over the last 20 years, medical doctor programs across the country have been transitioning to a more distributed approach to medical training to better support the care needs of all Canadians while ensuring trainees have adequate access to a range of clinical learning opportunities. USask first- and second-year medical students get their education primarily at the two main campuses in Saskatoon and Regina, but third- and fourth-year students shift fully into clinical training at up to 40 different locations around the province.

“Having our learners train in many, varied locations throughout Saskatchewan is a win-win-win,” said Dr. Preston Smith, dean of the College of Medicine. “Medical students benefit from a greater number and range of learning opportunities across urban, rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Physicians and other care providers deliver improved care when learners are involved in their practices and at our clinics and hospitals. And Saskatchewan people are on the receiving end of this improved care.”