Royal Inland Hospital
Royal Inland Hospital is currently a 246-bed acute care hospital in Kamloops that commonly runs at 110% capacity. It is one of two tertiary care centers serving the three-quarter million population of Interior Health and serves as the primary referral center for the quarter million residents of Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap health service area. Royal Inland Hospital offers a broad range of medical and surgical services. Only patients requiring interventional cardiology procedures, cardio-thoracic surgery, organ transplantation, and management of extensive severe burns are routinely referred elsewhere.
Royal Inland Hospital is a busy, high acuity, tertiary care referral center. The Emergency Department currently records more than 65,000 visits per year. Royal Inland Hospital is a regional trauma centre that depending on year ranks either second or third busiest in British Columbia. Surgical services include 4 neurosurgeons, 8 general surgeons, 8 orthopedic surgeons, 3 urologists, 3 plastic surgeons, 3 ENT, and one vascular surgeon.
The Department of Medicine
Currently 30 physicians regularly attend within medical services within the Department of Medicine at Royal Inland Hospital. Table 1 (Appendix) provides a brief overview of physicians and the range of services offered.
Medical Education at Royal Inland Hospital
Royal Inland Hospital is evolving as a teaching institution. Six students in each of years 3 and 4 of the Southern Medical Program are based in Kamloops. In 2014, a new Family Medicine Residency program started in Kamloops and as of July 2015 twelve residents will be based at Royal Inland Hospital. Residents from programs based in Alberta and elsewhere in British Columbia regularly rotate through general surgery and paediatrics as well as undertake electives in a range of specialities. Many medical residents have undertaken clinical elective rotations within the various disciplines of the Department of Medicine.
Facilities and accommodation for learners at Royal Inland Hospital
The Clinical Services Building is in construction (completion expected Spring 2016) that will greatly enhance facilities for students and residents at Royal Inland Hospital. At present, all students and residents on service at Royal Inland Hospital will have access to the doctor’s lounge and hospital library. A well equipped, in-hospital fitness gym is available to students and residents for a small fee (≈$25/month). The Department will endeavour to assist trainees in arranging accommodation. Accommodation is available on site in the previous nurses residence in the Alumni Building. This consists of private rooms with shared kitchen in an ID badge secured area with underground tunnel access to the main hospital. Alternatively, learners may choose to stay in local motels/hotels or arrange accommodation in private homes.
Kamloops and the Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap region
Kamloops is a city of approximately 100,000 residents located in the interior of British Columbia. It is the main city within the Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap region that includes the city of Merritt and a number of other towns and communities. It is located along the route of the TransCanada Highway approximately 350 km east of Vancouver and 600 km west of Calgary.
Given its size, Kamloops has an unusual concentration of programs, clubs, and centres of excellence in sports, music and the arts. SunPeaks Resort, located a short 45 minutes drive away is the second largest ski area in Canada and is the training ground for many Olympians. A vast array of sporting activities may be found in Kamloops and the surrounding area. Outdoor sports are supported by the weather that is arguably the best in Canada.
Among Canada’s 100 largest cities, Kamloops boasts the hottest summers (33 days >30 degrees) and is ranked second for each of driest (11 inches annual precipitation), warmest spring, fewest fog days, most sunny days in warm months (149 days), and third for most growing degree days and days without precipitation (258 days). The average daily high exceeds 20 degrees 5 months per year.
For those who enjoy music, Kamloops is home to the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, and there are all levels in amateur community orchestras and bands. Arts are well developed with the Kamloops Art Gallery, the Western Canada Theatre Company, Project X, and BC Living Arts.