The series focuses primarily on a core group of eight medical students at Boréal Medical School: Nancy Siebolski, Cameron Cahill, Gary Frazier, Melanie Truscott, Charlie Rivière, Eva Malone, Gina Russo and Farida Farhisal. The students are learning both a traditional medical curriculum, and how to cope with the unique demands of the school's focus on rural medicine, from professors and consultants including dean Raymond Dallaire, associate dean Fraser Healy, doctor Louise Helvi and First Nations elder Julie Cardinal. In the final season, Eric Peterson joined the cast as Dr. Kesler, the head of a medical clinic where some of the students are doing their practical placements. Supporting and guest actors appearing over the course of the series include Jennifer Tocheri, Marc Bendavid, Michael Cleland, Derek Miller, Mike Bernier, Jim Calarco, Jeremy Cormier, Megan Fahlenbock, Ron Lea, Jennifer Matthies, Billy Merasty, Atticus Mitchell, Greg Odjick, Samantha Reed and Julian Robino. Many, but not all, supporting and guest actors in the series are local performers from Sudbury and North Bay. Season 3 added Eric Peterson as Dr. Kesler, and Jennifer Podemski as Bonnie, in recurring roles.
Production
The series was initially a coproduction of three Canadian production firms, Title Entertainment, Carte Blanche Films, and Distinct Features, and an Australian firm, Moody Street Productions; the series is now produced solely by Distinct Features. In addition, the series received funding assistance from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund. First announced in 2011, production on the series began in 2012 and the series premiered on June 9, 2013 with a 13-episode first season. TVOntario announced in February 2014 that it had greenlit a second season for the series, premiering February 15, 2015. In conjunction with the show's second season, Sudbury mayor Brian Bigger issued a civic proclamation declaring February 15, 2015 to be "Hard Rock Medical Day" in the city. In the show's third season, consistent with the third year of a medical program marking the shift from classroom-based learning to practical internship placements, most filming took place on or near the Canadore College campus in North Bay. The show's third season premiered on January 8, 2017, releasing the season's nine episodes simultaneously online at the TVOntario website for the first time directly following the broadcast premiere. Filming also took place at Nipissing First Nation. Music used in the series was performed almost entirely by local artists from the region, including Patricia Cano, Kevin Closs, Brian Dunn, Ox, Pistol George Warren, Kate Maki, Frederick Squire, Derek Dino White, Hidden Roots Collective, Tasheena Sarazin and Carden Cove. Students from Canadore College created short documentaries on the featured artists, which aired immediately following the episodes on TVO. The third season also featured North Bay producer Ben Leggett as the show's composer for all nine episodes.
