Southern Alberta’s new medical program was founded on a simple idea: train physicians in the places where they are most needed. The doctors joining its leadership team embody that vision.

The Southern Alberta Medical Program (SAMP) — an innovative partnership between the University of Lethbridge and the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine (CSM), established with funding from the Government of Alberta — will allow students to earn a University of Calgary medical degree while completing their education  at the University of Lethbridge campus and in communities across the region. To help bring the program to life, several physicians who live and work in the region have taken on leadership roles guiding its development.

“What stands out about this group of physicians is their connection to the communities they serve,” says Dr. Richard Buck, Associate Dean of SAMP. “They understand what it means to practice medicine in southern Alberta and are eager to share that perspective with learners who may one day serve those same communities.”

Dr. Benjamin Andruski

As Director of Pre-Clerkship, Dr. Andruski will guide early medical learners through foundational training and curriculum delivery. Based in High River, he practises emergency, hospitalist, and geriatric care. He also contributes to medical education as an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM). An alum of the University of Calgary’s medical school, he combines clinical work with research on new therapies for musculoskeletal pain and contributes to CSM’s Re-Imagining Medical Education (RIME) curriculum.

Dr. Parveen Boora

Dr. Boora will oversee the clinical phase of student education across southern Alberta as Director of Clerkship for SAMP. With a background in general surgery, he currently serves as interim Facility Medical Director and Associate Zone Medical Director at Chinook Regional Hospital for the South Zone. He holds faculty appointments with both the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. After earning a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Lethbridge in 2001, he completed his MD and general surgery residency at the University of Alberta. Alongside his surgical practice, he has coordinated surgical education in Lethbridge for more than a decade, mentoring medical students and resident physicians.

Dr. Samuel de Walle

Dr. de Walle serves as Rural Admissions Director for CSM, supporting SAMP and collaborating  with the admissions team on processes related to regional applicants. He earned his medical degree from the University of Calgary in 2011 and completed a rural family medicine residency in Lethbridge.

Now a family physician based in the city, de Walle teaches residents through the  UCalgary’s rural family medicine residencyand provides comprehensive community care at Bigelow Fowler Clinic. He continues to practice full-scope family medicine, balancing community care with his teaching and administrative roles.

Dr. Elaine Godwin

As an Associate Director of the Student Advocacy and Wellness Hub (SAWH) at CSM, Dr. Godwin serves as a faculty advisor for medical students across all campuses, including those training through SAMP. In her role, she provides guidance on academic success, career planning, CaRMS (Canadian Resident Matching Service) preparation, and crisis support.

She earned her medical degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1994 and completed a family medicine residency at the University of Alberta before establishing a long-time practice in Lethbridge, where she provided family medicine and co-founded the city’s low-risk maternity clinic.

Now based in Calgary, she continues to practice maternity and newborn care with the Lougheed Maternity Group at Peter Lougheed Hospital and provides mentorship to medical learners through her ongoing faculty role.

Dr. Ashley Rommens

As Director of Faculty Development and Experiences for SAMP, Dr. Rommens helps strengthen rural teaching and faculty engagement throughout southern Alberta. Based in Pincher Creek, Dr. Rommens provides comprehensive family medicine, including low-risk obstetrics, emergency, and hospitalist care.

She is a clinical lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine at the CSM, where she supports rural teaching across the province. After completing her MD and family medicine residency at UCalgary, she chose to establish her practice in southern Alberta and now teaches both undergraduate learners and residents in Pincher Creek.

Dr. David Sameshima

Located in Medicine Hat, Dr. Sameshima serves as SAMP’s Medicine Hat Educational Lead, supporting student learning and preceptor engagement in the southeastern region of Alberta. He is an emergency physician at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, where he also serves as education lead for the Department of Emergency Medicine.

Raised in Lethbridge, he maintains strong ties to the region and teaches medical learners through his appointment as a clinical lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine at the Cumming School of Medicine.

He earned his MD from the University of Alberta and completed his rural family m edicine residency through UCalgary, followed by an additional year of emergency medicine training in Medicine Hat. His teaching includes  teachingresidents and leading the Southern Alberta Preceptor Summit.

The first cohort of SAMP medical students will begin classes in Lethbridge in July 2026.

The University of Lethbridge and University of Calgary proudly recognize the following alumni:
• Dr. Benjamin Andruski – MD’10, University of Calgary
• Dr. Parveen Boora – BSc ’01, University of Lethbridge
• Dr. Sam de Walle – MD’11, University of Calgary
• Dr. Ashley Rommens – MD’14, University of Calgary