We are Niagara Health is a series of stories that celebrates the incredible people working and volunteering in our organization and how they make a difference in the lives of patients and coworkers every day.
Dr. Amanda Bell has spent nearly a decade building a medical education program in Niagara that prioritizes connection, compassion and community.
At McMaster’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine Niagara Regional Campus, medical students don’t just learn anatomy and diagnostics - they learn what it means to be part of a community. That’s by design. For the past eight years, Dr. Amanda Bell has led the campus with a key goal in mind: to shape doctors who are not only clinically excellent, but also grounded, compassionate and deeply connected to the people they serve.
The decision to take the role of Regional Assistant Dean wasn't one Bell made lightly. It meant stepping back from her own clinical practice - and from the patients she cared deeply about. But she saw the trade-off as an opportunity to make a broader impact.
"I loved working with my patients, but in this role, I realized I could help shape future physicians who will go on to care for entire communities. That kind of ripple effect felt deeply meaningful to me."
At the Niagara campus, students receive the same high-quality McMaster education in a setting that feels more personal. From day one, they're immersed in the local community and benefit from close mentorship and hands-on learning with faculty who know them by name. This support pays off - not just for the students, but for the region itself. Many graduates who train in Niagara stay to work in Niagara. Today, more than 100 doctors practicing locally completed their training at the campus.
One of the most powerful aspects of the program is how it connects students to real issues in the community. Through partnerships with organizations like REACH Niagara, students work directly with individuals who are unhoused or underhoused - not only learning from them, but actively helping.
In one initiative, students volunteer at Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) application clinics, where they assist individuals in completing complex disability support forms - a task that’s often overwhelming for those dealing with mental health or housing challenges
“Our success rates in having people approved for disability support is much higher than average,” Bell says. “For these people, it’s the way out of the cycle that they’re in.”
These experiences shift perspectives - and help students understand the real-world impact of medicine beyond a hospital setting.
“Many of the individuals in our community who are struggling face personal challenges and systemic barriers,” she says. And with good care, with access to resources, they can change the path of their lives.
With the healthcare system constantly evolving, Bell sees the campus as part of that change. That means training students in virtual care, teaching them how to apply AI tools effectively, and preparing to integrate education more fully into the new South Niagara Hospital when it opens.
“The more our learners can be involved in that, it’s a better outcome for patients,” she says. As for her long-term vision for the Niagara campus, Dr. Bell is clear: keep growing, but don’t lose what makes it special.
“I want it to be a community where people know each other and support each other and encourage each other,” she says. “I want us to be a reflection of the evolution of care in Niagara.”
She also wants people to know this isn’t new work - it’s the continuation of something that’s been building for decades.
“There were community-based doctors and hospital-based doctors who were teaching long before there was a campus,” she says. “It all has stemmed from physicians in the community who believe that this is the way we ensure health care stays excellent moving forward.”
