2019 UBC Health Award Recipients

This prestigious award, in honour of Dean Emeritus John McNeill who joined the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1971, recognizes faculty members at any stage in their academic career, in any of UBC’s health-related disciplines, who have formally been identified as mentors and who exemplify a deep commitment to fostering the professional and personal development of faculty colleagues, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows in the early stages of their academic career.    

Dr. Lara Boyd, Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy with the UBC Faculty of Medicine won the 2019 John McNeill Excellence in Health Research Mentorship Award for her outstanding achievements as a health research mentor and the impact her mentorship has had on her trainees. 

She is a world leader in multimodal brain imaging, with expertise in the use of non-invasive brain stimulation and magnetic resonance imaging. Highly regarded as a scientist and a mentor, Dr. Boyd has been sought out for her mentorship by individuals within and outside her home department. She has mentored a large number of trainees and faculty who subsequently continued in their careers to become successful and respected leaders in the health research and clinical communities they serve.

Throughout her career, Dr. Boyd has shown a strong interest in graduate education and the training of future researchers. She runs her lab as a collaboration among all members and integrates graduate and undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds, including occupational and physical therapy, neuroscience, neurology, epidemiology, psychology, kinesiology, education, cellular and physiological sciences, physics, engineering, and music. The individuals, structure, and innovative mission of Dr. Boyd’s lab combine to create a professionally nurturing and stimulating environment for trainees at all levels. 

Dr. Boyd is an inspiring role model for trainees, encouraging and supporting the academic research, professional development, and personal growth of her trainees. Her extraordinary mentorship, guidance, and collaborative philosophy are credited for the success of many of her trainees.

The Award for Excellence in Interprofessional Education Teaching honours an outstanding educator or teaching team that demonstrates effective teaching of interprofessional competencies to health profession students in the classroom setting that support excellence in the delivery of patient-centred care.    

Diana Lin, Clinical Associate Professor, Faculty of Dentistry received the 2019 Award for Excellence in Interprofessional Education Teaching for her long-standing dedication and accomplishments in spearheading interprofessional education opportunities.

She is a strong advocate of interprofessional education in building effective collaborative leadership teams to strengthen and improve health outcomes. She uses engaging, creative, and innovative teaching approaches to facilitate a better understanding of how members of a healthcare team can each uniquely contribute to quality patient care. 

When planning curriculum, initiatives, and student placements, Professor Lin is led by her passion for building, integrating, and furthering students’ interprofessional knowledge and interest. She creates meaningful, authentic learning opportunities, nurtures and strengthens collaborative relationships, and encourages students to explore strategies that promote interprofessional education and collaboration. Professor Lin’s work and the impact of her innovative teaching philosophy on the many students she has taught are inspiring.

Named after long-time community educator, R. Paul Kerston, this annual award was established in 2014 to honour outstanding community educators who have made a difference to student learning at UBC.

Three outstanding community members and teams were recognized for their invaluable contributions to health education and learning at UBC.    

Jon Collins received a 2019 R. Paul Kerston Community Educator Award for his commitment to health advocacy and education and his accomplishments through the UBC Health Mentors program to advance health education from a patient’s perspective. By sharing his lived experience with students from different health disciplines, Jon has provided a rich learning environment. He facilitated candid discussions about healthcare and interdisciplinary teams, provided support and advice, and challenged students to think outside of their own disciplinary paradigms. Through his efforts, John has helped and prepared many students to be more effective healthcare professionals with an improved understanding of a patient’s journey.

Stephen Reid received a 2019 R. Paul Kerston Community Educator Award for his involvement and dedication to advance health education from a patient’s perspective through his volunteer work as a mentor with the UBC Health Mentors program and a volunteer patient with the UBC Faculty of Medicine. Through his openness in discussing his chronic illness, he has provided valuable contributions to the education and training of future generations of health professionals. He encourages curiosity and diversity of thought among students to help them understand the importance of patient-centred care. Stephen uplifts those around him and is admired by the students he has taught. 

Justice for Girls received a 2019 R. Paul Kerston Community Educator Award for the organization’s commitment and outreach to social justice advocacy and education. Justice for Girls promotes equality, freedom from violence, and the health and wellness of teenage girls who live in poverty. The organization has developed extensive partnerships with UBC programs to provide community-based experiential learning opportunities for hundreds of students spanning a multitude of disciplines in the health sciences, law, and education. The training program developed by Justice for Girls for health professional students provides valuable education that enables these future healthcare providers to better serve a vulnerable population and improve the healthcare experiences of young women.

Established through an endowment by family, friends and colleagues of Dr. John H.V. Gilbert, this scholarship recognizes an outstanding student in the final year of a UBC health or human services degree program who combines academic excellence and demonstrated student leadership in interprofessional education for collaborative patient-centred practice.

Adelia Jacobs, in the final year of earning her Bachelor of Science in Food, Nutrition, and Health with the UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems received the 2019 John H.V. Gilbert Interprofessional Scholarship for her demonstrated passion, commitment to interprofessional education, and outstanding leadership in the dietetics program.

Established through an endowment in memory of the late Jessie Gordon MacCarthy, long-term contributor to the development of the Health Sciences at UBC, this scholarship recognizes an outstanding student in the final year of any pre-licensure health science program who best combines academic excellence, demonstrated interest, and leadership in the field of community health.    

Joanna Paterson, second year student in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program with the UBC Faculty of Applied Science, received the 2019 Professor Jessie Gordon MacCarthy Memorial Scholarship for her unwavering commitment to and leadership in community health, including her work in harm reduction and primary care in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, where residents face challenges related to poverty, homelessness, substance use, and mental illness.

Established in 2016 through an endowment by ImpactBC, these scholarships recognize outstanding students in a UBC health discipline who have completed a research or development project focusing on patient/client involvement in health care decision-making or in health professional education.

Six outstanding students received the ImpactBC Scholarships in 2019.    

Matthew Boroditsky, third year student in the Doctor of Medicine program with the UBC Faculty of Medicine, received the 2019 ImpactBC Scholarship in Health Care Research and Development for his research project on the complex and multidisciplinary scope of care needed by pediatric patients with a rare genetic disorder called 22q11.2DS.

Elizabeth Burden, second year student in the Doctor of Medicine program with the UBC Faculty of Medicine, received the 2019 ImpactBC Scholarship in Health Care Research and Development for her research on perioperative anxiety in patient supporters and her work with PatientLink, an innovative online platform to improve communication and reduce anxiety in patient supporters.

Bonnie He, third year student in the Doctor of Medicine program with the UBC Faculty of Medicine, received the 2019 ImpactBC Scholarship in Health Care Research and Development for her research on the impact of poverty, adverse childhood experiences, and other social determinants of health on the health outcomes of pediatric surgical patients.

Celia Kwan, third year student in the Doctor of Medicine program with the UBC Faculty of Medicine, received the 2019 ImpactBC Scholarship in Health Care Research and Development for her community-based knowledge translation project to enhance community physical activity programs for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Shawna Narayan, second year student in the Master of Science in Experimental Medicine program with the UBC Faculty of Medicine, received the 2019 ImpactBC Scholarship in Health Care Research and Development for her research on the use of digital mental health services and information among Canada’s culturally diverse population for anxiety and depressive disorders.

Kate Wahl, first year PhD student in the Reproductive and Developmental Sciences program with the UBC Faculty of Medicine, received the 2019 ImpactBC Scholarship in Health Care Research and Development for her development of an evidence-based Canadian patient decision aid to help individuals make informed decisions about their choice of abortion method.