USask’s College of Medicine Regina Campus provides a unique learning environment.

It may not be a well-known fact but there is a medical school in Regina.

Based primarily out of the Regina General Hospital, the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine would have 40 of the 100 students complete their degrees at the Regina Campus.

Just three years ago in 2022, the College expanded its Regina Campus to include the full four-year program, taking a big step in offering more opportunity to students pursuing a career in medicine. 

“The Regina campus is a little bit unique in Canada, in the sense that our students are immersed immediately in to a hospital-based learning situation compared to other programs where the medical schools are separate,” said Dr. Gill White.

White is the associate dean for the Regina Campus, which is based out of the Regina General Hospital. He said the goal of the program expansion is to avoid disruption of transitioning between campuses and attract more program applicants from southern Saskatchewan. 

“Being closer to home and support systems is crucial when going through a tough program like medical school,” said Kasia Wicijowski, a second-year student at the Regina Campus.

Wicijowski is originally from Regina said having a main campus in Regina is also very important to retaining physicians after they graduate.

“We get to develop relationships with faculty and learn about the programs we offer,” she said.  

Jalal Hamdan, a first-year student from Edmonton, Alta., had placed Saskatoon as his first choice for his USask medical school journey, but he feels very fortunate to have been placed in Regina.

“The Regina campus is perfect for my own personal style of learning and the culture here is very hands on which fits perfectly with what I want out of my medical training,” said Hamdan, adding being in a hospital offers many shadowing opportunities through building connections with physicians. 

“It is hard to imagine another campus that puts you into contact with patients, hospital staff, and doctors the way that Regina does,” he said. 

Facilities for learning in Regina include a simulation centre, a brand-new anatomy lab which opened in 2024 and library services. There are also a number of opportunities to participate in research projects and student interest groups.

While the majority of learning happens at the Regina General Hospital, students also gain experience at Wascana Rehabilitation Centre and Pasqua Hospital. 

Second-year student Chetan Singh said having a medical school campus in Regina has a big impact on students looking to pursue medicine.

“Having medical students in the community allows younger people in Regina and surrounding communities to visualize medicine as a career path,” Chetan said. “When they see students in clinical settings or when students do community outreach to schools or universities, it builds relatability and demonstrates a potential path for them to take,”. 

Those who are interested in pursuing a medical degree at USask can complete the pre-medicine requirements right here at the University of Regina. Pre-professional programs are available to prepare students for admission to specialized programs like medicine. 

There is also a pre-med club at URegina for those students on pre-professional pathways to health-related fields. The club provides resources including information on open houses hosted by various medical schools, including USask’s Regina Campus which is held annually in the fall.