NURSING AND MEDICAL STUDENTS X PRIMARY CARE: A Collaborative Initiative to Improve Primary Care Access in Our Community

Dear Nursing and Medical Students,

I am honoured to be leading a collaborative team of dedicated students, medical residents, and physicians who are committed to supporting our community by improving access to Primary Care services.

Throughout my clinical placements in hospitals, as well as my healthcare work experience, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges many patients face when they do not have access to a family doctor or a consistent primary care provider. Many individuals and families are left trying to navigate a complex healthcare system without the ongoing support they need for prevention, early intervention, chronic disease management, and overall health maintenance.

This is not only a healthcare system challenge — it is a community challenge. The patients we care for today could be our friends, our family members, or ourselves in the future.

As future healthcare professionals, we have a unique opportunity to support patients beyond the hospital walls by improving awareness of available healthcare resources and helping community members better navigate their healthcare journey.

Our team has developed a Primary Care Resource Initiative to provide residents with information about available primary care clinics and healthcare resources in Ottawa:

Primary Care Clinics in Ottawa Resource Website:
https://sites.google.com/view/primary-care-clinics-in-ottawa/home

Additional family doctor access resource:

Looking for a Family Doctor Resource:
https://mppkarenmccrimmon.ca/looking-for-a-family-doctor

We kindly invite Nursing and Medical Students to support this initiative by sharing these resources with:

Your contribution, even through simply sharing reliable healthcare information, can make a meaningful difference in helping individuals access the care they need.

Supporting this initiative can also represent valuable professional development. Students who participate by promoting healthcare access and connecting community members with primary care resources may include this experience as a community health volunteer activity on their resume.

This demonstrates important healthcare competencies, including:

To recognize the dedication of students who actively contribute to this initiative, I will provide references for up to five Nursing or Health Science students who are seeking employment opportunities. This Initiative alone can be a great asset to list to your Resume as it supports the community amidst the shortage of Primar Care Providers.

Before requesting a reference, please carefully review the employment areas below. My goal is to support my colleagues in entering healthcare roles where they can continue serving patients and strengthening our healthcare system:

Please note that references can only be provided for positions and organizations within these areas where I have professional knowledge and relationships. For opportunities outside this scope, I may not be able to provide an appropriate reference.

On behalf of my team of students, medical residents, and physicians, I sincerely thank all nurses and healthcare professionals for your dedication, compassion, and commitment to patient care.

It is truly an honour to work alongside the amazing healthcare professionals in our city, including:

Your work impacts countless lives every single day.

Thank you for your continued dedication to patients, families, and our community. I look forward to continuing this important work together and building a healthcare system where everyone has better access to the care they need.

Together, Nursing and Primary Care can create meaningful change.

Healthcare begins with access, and access begins with community support.