Image courtesy of Halton Healthcare
The next generation of health-care professionals will continue to receive hands-on training in Halton Region thanks to a renewed partnership between McMaster University and Halton Healthcare.
Both organizations have signed a new affiliation agreement that extends their collaboration, allowing McMaster learners to train across Halton Healthcare’s three hospitals and several community clinics. The signing ceremony was held at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital on November 21st.
The agreement ensures that the Halton Healthcare Clinical Education Campus – which includes Georgetown Hospital, Milton District Hospital, Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, and clinics throughout Georgetown, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville – will continue to host students from McMaster’s medical, physician assistant, nursing, and other health professional programs. More than 375 clinical placements take place each year across these sites, providing students with practical experience in diverse community settings.
“This renewed agreement reflects our deep commitment to community-based medical education,” says Paul O’Byrne, dean and vice-president of McMaster’s Faculty of Health Sciences. “These opportunities not only enhance training but strengthen the healthcare system across the region.” Halton Healthcare’s preceptors work directly with learners, offering community-focused clinical education while helping develop a pipeline of future health-care workers for the region.
Halton Healthcare joined McMaster’s Community and Rural Education (Mac-CARE) Program in 2011, forming the foundation of the partnership that continues today. Mac-CARE connects students with core and elective clinical rotations across Hamilton, Niagara, Waterloo, Burlington, Halton, Osler, and Grand Erie Six Nations.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with McMaster University,” says Melissa Farrell, President & CEO of Halton Healthcare. “Each year, Halton Healthcare provides hundreds of clinical placements that give learners meaningful experience, while strengthening our culture of continuous learning. Many may choose to stay and serve our region.”
Both organizations say the renewed agreement supports their shared vision of high-quality, community-based health professional education that benefits students, educators, and residents across Halton.
