by Dr Andrew O’Malley, Senior Lecturer in the School of Medicine at St Andrews
I recently had the privilege of attending and presenting at the Arctic Congress 2024 in Bodø, Norway, held from May 29 to June 3. This major event brought together the International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS) XI, UArctic Congress 2024, and High North Dialogue 2024.
Bodø, the host city for the Arctic Congress 2024, is recognised as the European Capital of Culture for 2024. The city is a hub for cultural and academic activities, offering a rich environment for interdisciplinary collaboration. Although it was my first visit to Bodø, it felt familiar due to its cultural and economic similarities to other cities in the Arctic region. Its infrastructure and cultural initiatives provided an excellent setting for the conference, enhancing the overall experience for participants through well-organised events and facilities.
My talk, “Addressing Workforce Challenges in Generalism and Remote Healthcare: Insights from the Scottish Graduate Entry Medical Programme (ScotGEM),” focused on ScotGEM’s innovative approach to addressing the medical recruitment crisis in remote areas of Scotland. The Scottish Graduate Entry Medicine (ScotGEM) program is a pioneering medical education initiative designed to address the unique healthcare needs of remote and rural communities in Scotland. Launched in 2018, ScotGEM is a collaborative effort between the universities of St Andrews, Dundee, and the Highlands and Islands, along with four regional healthcare providers. The program emphasises the development of adaptable, compassionate generalist doctors through an innovative curriculum that includes extensive rural placements and a focus on primary care. ScotGEM aims to produce doctors who are well-equipped to meet the challenges of delivering healthcare in underserved areas.
The challenges and solutions I presented successfully generated extensive discussion and valuable connections, as many nations and regions in the remote north are facing similar challenges. Colleagues in Alaska, Canada (Yukon and Ontario), and Norway are also using or considering educational interventions as a solution to the remote recruitment crisis.
The conference itself was very interdisciplinary and wide-ranging, representing fertile ground for collaboration and networking. I was pleased to meet with colleagues to discuss exciting new projects, including potential systems to deliver medical aid to the crews of ships operating in the Arctic and whether autonomous drone technology could be useful in delivering medicine to remote communities in Scotland. I was also grateful to establish a relationship with medical educators from the WWAMI Regional Medical Education Program, who share the strategic aim of training doctors to work in underserved areas, with a view to collaborating on pedagogical research.
Attending this meeting was very valuable; I’m sure it will lead to exciting collaborations and outputs that will benefit the people of the north. I hope to attend the UArctic Assembly again in Finland in 2025.
