Today I want to talk about the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Most people call it NOSM University. Last week I met with Dr. Verma. She’s the president of NOSM. She took the opportunity to brag about her students. Speaker, 100% of NOSM’s graduating class passed the provincial exam, 100% secured residency placements and over 57% of the graduating class chose family medicine. In fact, NOSM generates more family doctors than any other Ontario medical school. As well, NOSM has continuously proven to attract and retain medical doctors in northern Ontario: 87% of NOSM graduates stay to practise medicine in the north.

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine, NOSM, contributes to care in northern Ontario’s urban, rural and remote communities. That’s a northern Ontario solution that we can all be proud of and we can all support.

I would like to welcome Lara Suleiman and Sofia Ouslis from Western University, my alma mater, who are joining me today from the University Students’ Council’s Women in House initiative that sends students to shadow a female MPP. Welcome to Queen’s Park.