Medical electives in developing countries. Investment for Canada's health care.

Greetings from Melfort, Sask, a city of 5000 people, where I have been spending a few weeks immersed in rural family medicine. Having been born and raised in the greater Toronto area and having completed my schooling in Kingston and London, Ont, I have found this rural way of life an interesting, positive, and eye-opening experience. One of the greatest opportunities we have in family medicine is to practise in all types of settings. I believe all family medicine programs across Canada require their residents to spend some part of their training in rural or underserviced areas, to experience family medicine away from tertiary care centres. Although the rural life might not be for everyone, exposure is critical if we are to attract new graduates to rural areas. This month, Payam Dehghani shares his “rural medicine” experience during an elective in Uganda this past summer. Dr Dehghani offers a fresh and interesting perspective on the objectives of international medicine and how practice in other countries can improve family medicine here in Canada.