title: The economic contribution of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine to communities participating in distributed medical education.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The economic contribution of medical schools to major urban centres can be substantial, but there is little information on the contribution to the economy of participating communities made by schools that provide education and training away from major cities and academic health science centres. We sought to assess the economic contribution of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) to northern Ontario communities participating in NOSM's distributed medical education programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a local economic model and used actual expenditures from 2007/08 to assess the economic contribution of NOSM to communities in northern Ontario. We also estimated the economic contribution of medical students or residents participating in different programs in communities away from the university campuses. To explore broader economic effects, we conducted semistructured interviews with leaders in education, health care and politics in northern Ontario.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total economic contribution to northern Ontario was $67.1 million based on $36.3 million in spending by NOSM and $1.0 million spent by students. Economic contributions were greatest in the university campus cities of Thunder Bay ($26.7 million) and Sudbury ($30.4 million), and $0.8-$1.2 million accrued to the next 3 largest population centres. Communities might realize an economic contribution of $7300-$103 900 per pair of medical learners per placement. Several of the 59 interviewees remarked that the dollar amount could be small to moderate but had broader economic implications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Distributed medical education at the NOSM resulted in a substantial economic contribution to participating communities.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ont.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hogenbirk
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ont.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ont.
authors.forename: Mary Ellen
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ont.
authors.forename: Raymond W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Pong
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ont.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Minore
authors.affiliation: Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ont.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ont.
authors.forename: Roger P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Strasser
authors.affiliation: Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ont.
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lipinski
mesh_terms: D004501:Education, Medical / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D005194:Family Practice / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education*; D005380:Financing, Government / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D018803:Models, Economic; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics; D009864:Ontario; D011365:Professional Practice Location / Q000191:economics; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012424:Rural Population; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D000078329:Workforce