“Barry’s Bay was an incredible learning experience in 2019, both from the perspective of being a medical learner, and for life! The learning opportunities are endless in Barry’s Bay – in my 6 week rotation alone, I experienced Family Medicine, Hospitalist care, ER medicine, Palliative Care, and Geriatrics. I was also able to work with many allied health professionals. Beyond clinical care, SFMH Hospital constantly has educational opportunities, whether it be lunch and learns, grand rounds, or Case Reviews. The staff at SFMH were extremely welcoming and friendly, and the tuck shop coffee is to die for!
In addition to my impeccable clinical experiences, the town of Barry’s Bay is one to marvel at. Stroll down the main drag to Madawaska Coffee for a delicious maple latte, or to the twitter famous Dairy Freeze! Join Dr. Malinowski and the gang at the Wilno Tavern on Tuesday’s for a mouth-watering meal and talented entertainment. More of a gym rat? No problem! The community has 2 nights of exercise classes a week and weekly volleyball games. SFMH also has a staff gym, equipped to get your post-work sweat on! My time in Barry’s Bay was unforgettable, and I do hope I’ll be able to return some day.”

“I spent two months during my Family Medicine residency program training with the Madawaska Valley Family Health Team under Dr. Jason Malinowski. I had an incredible experience and learned a lot about rural medicine. I had a broad range of practice experiences, ranging from palliative care to critical care/emergency medicine to rural-based complex care. The medicine was interesting and complicated, and there were a lot of challenges unique to a smaller community that provided excellent training as a learner. In addition, there were a lot of valuable academic sessions, both from physicians at SFMH and visiting specialists, to supplement hands-on learning. The entire team at the hospital, from the physicians to the volunteers, was close-knit and welcoming and I felt very supported during my stay. People went out of their way to involve me in the community, and it felt like home! I would definitely recommend Barry’s Bay and the Madawaska Valley FHT to any prospective learners looking to experience rural medicine in a beautiful pocket of Ontario.”