Inuvik Weblog: Elective FAQ

How many in-patient beds are there and how many patients do you follow in an average week?

There are 14 inpatient beds, 2 labour and delivery beds, 3 special care beds and 4 day surgery beds. We have about 10 to 15 patients in at any time. Usually the residents follow the patients and the regular docs follow along with them . The residents review the cases when we have Monday and Thursday morning rounds to go over all the cases in hospital as well as the medevacs.

Will we be managing cases in the ER on our own in the daytime? At night?

Residents will be left to manage cases on their own after an initial evaluation period. There are always physicians in hospital on ER call during the day. Physician back up is always available in minutes in the evening - Inuvik is a really small town!

How many deliveries will we be involved in during a 16 week rotation?

40 to 50 deliveries, probably 8 to 10 C-sections. Resident involvement in C-sections depends entirely on interest and technical ability of the resident. Involvement would range from second assist to first assist and perhaps closure.

How many patients will we see in the office in one day?

This is a hospital rotation so days are broken up into segments. You will rarely do 8 hour clinic shifts. Mornings are usually spent on inpatients or in the OR with clinics starting at 10:00 at the earliest. We have asked the clinic nurses to make sure that the resident's and student's schedule is filled first so that they see an adequate number of patients to learn from and practice their skills. Initially you will work with a physician but after a few weeks, you will book your own clinics and consult with the physician(s) working with you in clinic.

What academic activities are available at your site?

We have multi-disciplinary rounds twice per week (on all hospitalized patients and medevacs) with a presentation by physicians/residents/students on Mondays. The residents and students are expected to present a case at Mortality and Morbidity Rounds on a topic of their choice, preferably something that applies to medicine here.
We sometimes have an obstetrician or surgeon or anesthetist on staff and they will teach when working with you.
Every weekday afternoon there is a teaching session from 4 to 5 PM on practical rural/remote topics. These are mandatory.
There is also Televised Rounds with Calgary every Tuesday morning from 0800 to 0900 hours. You can get CME/CPE credits for this activity.

I am considering a third year in GP Surgery - what sort of involvement in OR Cases can I expect? What sorts of General Surgery Cases occur there?

It again depends on interest and ability. The longer you stay and the better we know you, the more you get to do.

We do C-sections, tubal ligations, hysterectomies, ectopic pregnancies, hernias, tonsillectomies, gall bladders, reductions, lumps and bumps, abscesses, vasectomies, endoscopy (gastroscopy, colonoscopy), circumcisions, and whatever else the surgeon/gynaecologist/gp surgeon needs to do.

Does your hospital have electronic medical records?

We still use mostly paper charts.

Is there adequate room for us in your offices/do we have our own examining room and/or office space?

We have four examining rooms. We usually have the students and residents see the patients on their own. We see the patients with the students after their assessment and review the findings. The residents are more independent. We have a shared office space with 2 computers adjoining the physician lounge where there is another computer, telephones and work space.

Is there a portable U/S in emergency that we can use? Do you have access to CT scans?

No, there isn’t a portable U/S in emergency, but we have excellent ultrasound service. The technician who does US is excellent and will come in anytime. A CT scan is available in Yellowknife (about three hours flight away). A portable ER ultrasound machine is in the works, so this will hopefully change...

We now have a PACS system that allows us to review the xrays and ultrasounds with a radiologist on call at anytime. This is very helpful in the early morning when one worries about c-spine injuries.

What type of gym facilities are available? Is there an indoor pool?

The Inuvik Family Centre is equipped with three swimming pools, a gym, fitness room and squash courts, curling and skating, and rock climbing wall. Memberships are currently $5/day, $20/week, $40/month, $100/ 3 months or $350/year, flex memberships are also available.

What sort of recreation opportunities will we have and what sort of equipment should we bring?

The cross country skiing is great in the winter and with the lighted trail one can go even when the sun is down from the beginning of November until mid January.

Dog sledding is available at a cost.

In summer there is bike riding, fishing , berry picking , running , boating and camping, as well as organized activities.

Every July Inuvik hosts the Great Northern Arts Festival.

In early April the community gathers for Muskrat Jamboree.

Please describe the available accommodation options and their cost.

Residents will be in the residence (just across the parking lot from the hospital) in hotel-style rooms and will be provided with a meal card for the duration of your elective. Students will also receive a meal card, but are responsible for their own accommodation. The elective coordinator will be able to help with finding a room. (The residence is unfortunately not big enough and is always full.) The residence also has a common room with a kitchen that you could use to cook meals.

What are some of the best things about your Rural Practice site?

Most remote and Northern hospital in all of Canada

interesting medicine

community visits - 3 day duration

a great bunch of doctors

What are some of the challenges in your community?

Extreme weather conditions: long dark winters and short summers with nearly continuous sunlight.