CFMS | AIMED

What is AIMED?

The CFMS Accessibility in Medical Education Program is a project developed by medical students designed to interest high school students in a career in Medicine. AIMED works by encouraging medical students participating in electives outside of their home university city to contact a local high school and offer to give a brief presentation on the reality of a career in medicine.

Why is AIMED important?

Canada is currently experiencing a shortage of physicians, particularly rural family physicians. Consequently, there have been initiatives across the country to increase the number of students in medical programmes. An example of this is the newly opened distributed medical program at UBC and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Some medical schools’ curriculum now includes more exposure to family medicine and rural medicine. Examples of this are mandatory Rural Practicums for undergraduate medical students and possibilities for electives in various areas.

AIMED Goals

As medical students, we want to contribute to a national solution to provide first class health care to all Canadians. The CFMS AIMED Program, similar to many outreach programmes, strives to encourage young students in all areas of Canada to consider a career in medicine. By connecting with high school students through a brief presentation and informal discussion session, presenters will have the opportunity to highlight the path they took to arrive in medical school, and answer any questions that the high school audience might have. This experience increases high school students’ exposure to a medical career, and also allows medical students and our future doctors to become more familiar with a different communities. Increasing the interaction between the health care team and the community is an enriching experience for all involved.

The CFMS recognizes that some schools currently organize successful and well-received outreach programmes, and that medical students are eager to participate. We want to bring this same opportunity to all medical students to broaden the effort to a national initiative, and to help encourage students and rural communities to continue working together. We hope that Canadian medical students will reach many classrooms with a unified message: We are dedicated to a Healthy Canada, for many years to come.

Current AIMED Initiatives

1. Medical Students - Outreach Presentation and Handout

Are you a Canadian medical student?
Are you doing a placement outside your home university city in the future?
Are you interested in giving a presentation to high school students on a career in medicine?

   1. Download the Powerpoint: AIMED Presentation
   2. If brochures are not available from your CFMS representatives, download and print copies of the accompanying brochure to hand out to students: AIMED Brochure
   3. Contact a high school in the location of your placement to co-ordinate a presentation time.
   4. Contact the VP Communications to provide feedback on your experience. We would also like to know the location of your placement and see photos, as we are looking to profile various Canadian communities on our webpage.

Note: The prepared AIMED presentation takes approximately 15-20 minutes to present. Be sure to leave time for questions and discussion! This time is invaluable for the high school students.