The Saskatchewan Medical Association Roadmap Tour made a stop in Swift Current Saturday, with more than 50 medical students participating.

The students from Saskatoon and Regina spent the day at the Cypress Regional Hospital, learning about Swift Current and what it's like to practice medicine in a regional centre.

Dr. Kevin Wasko, a Family Physician in Swift Current enlightened us on the Roadmap Tour that's one of the programs the SMA runs through the committee on rural and remote practice.

"The initiative is meant to expose medical students in first and second year of practice to life in rural Saskatchewan, what kind of practice physicians out in rural Saskatchewan have and also give them the opportunity to develop some skills along the way and showcase the community," he said Saturday afternoon.

The students were split up into groups and were shuffled between five different stations throughout the hospital.

"We've rotated these student through in groups of about ten, through a neonatal resuscitation with our simulation doll, through a resuscitation of an adult patient with the adult simulation lab, there's been a suturing station, there's been a casting station, and there's also been an obstetrical emergency station. It's been a good variety and it's really shown all the different things our physicians here in Swift Current do," Wasko said.

Second-year Medical student Laura Halyk from the University of Saskatchewan offers her thoughts on the facilities Swift Current has.

"They've been awesome so far, I had no idea you guys had such a new hospital. When I walked in I was shocked, I didn't realize (Swift Current) had two sim labs which were beneficial today," Halyk told SwiftCurrentOnline.

Spencer Lindsay, a second-year Medicine student at the University of Saskatchewan talked about the large variety of sessions offered.

"We did one unit on obstetrics on delivery techniques using forceps, another on suturing, casting, and with the sim labs. It just kind of helps you brush up on some skills that maybe we don't get to practice all that much or learn new skills, so it (today) is helpful that way," Lindsay said.

The last time the SMA Roadmap Tour stopped in Swift Current was in February of 2014, and was organized by Dr. Tara Lee.