Dr. Mahon completed her Family Medicine residency through the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, where she spent the past two years training locally alongside Dr. Noack. She shared her story of how she came back to Kenora.

I was born and raised in Kenora — and from early in my medical school journey, I knew that I wanted to work here.

I had decided on medicine in my first year of school at the University of Manitoba, particularly inspired by anatomy and physiology, as well as my own experiences with the healthcare system in Kenora. I chose the U of M for undergrad initially due to the proximity to my home community, which allowed for travel home on the weekends when school was tough.

My entry to medical school took a traditional route — high school to undergraduate studies in science, a couple of attempts at the MCAT, and into medicine at the University of Manitoba. I knew early in medical school that I wanted to do a Family Medicine residency through the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) specifically. My initial draw towards Kenora was the geography and proximity to loved ones.

Throughout my residency, however, I realized there are so many benefits to learning in Kenora. The experience at a rural training site is truly unmatched, and rural FM feels totally different from urban FM in terms of the opportunities provided and the breadth of the work.

I developed trusting and lasting relationships with preceptors in every area of the hospital and had the stability of a caring mentor throughout my entire residency. In large centres, learners can sometimes feel like they are a number in the system, but in Kenora the preceptors are enthusiastic about having you there, and the matching between preceptor scope and learners’ interests is so helpful.

I was matched with Dr. Laura Noack, who is a true rural generalist — FM, OB, ER, hospitalist, and an excellent physician and human being. When I entered residency, I had pictured myself doing FM and OB, but through the positive experiences that I had I realized just how broad the scope of a family physician in Kenora can be.

One thing that was particularly sweet about learning in Kenora for residency was that I was able to learn skills that would not be developed to this degree in a larger centre. The Kenora OB team was aware that I wanted to pursue surgical obstetrics in the future, and they took me under their wing to teach me these skills during my residency.

As I approached the end of my residency, I was known and trusted by the physicians in Kenora which gave me the opportunity to practice confidently under the supervision of my preceptors. I am certain that I was at an advantage in starting my career because of the relationships I had built with colleagues, and the unique opportunities for one on one mentorship offered to me through residency in Kenora.

Transition to independent practice in such a supportive community went as smooth as I could hope for — and I have been practicing Family Medicine and Obstetrics PLUS hospitalist, ER, surgical assist, and inboxologist. I felt fully supported by my coworkers and that they believed I was ready to work in the roles I had trained for and was starting in. Many colleagues offered to be available for advice whenever I needed it — even in the middle of the night. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive team.

I love the community of Kenora. I truly think that Kenora has everything that you might need. Your daily commute is never more than 20 minutes — and yet, the city of Winnipeg is close enough to do a day trip to the mall, a concert, or a Jets hockey game. The geography is beautiful and there’s always something to do. When I was younger, I used to drive a quad on the lake to hockey practice early in the morning. And now, in the summers, my favourite activity is getting out on the Seadoo and seeing the lake, especially spending time at the local fishing resorts. Many lake destinations are within call range, and it’s always fun to come into work by lake.

Kenora has given me exceptional training, meaningful work, and a life that feels full. I can’t imagine a better place to build a career in family medicine.