Olivia Hunter, a UBC medical student, has been honoured as one of 20 Wesbrook Scholars for the 2023/2024 academic year. She is also a recipient of a Premier Undergraduate Scholarship.
The scholarships are UBC’s most prestigious designations and given to senior students with outstanding academic performance, leadership and involvement in student and community activities.
A third-year MD student at UBC, Hunter is also a dedicated researcher, leader and advocate in the medical community. She is actively involved in the research work of three different cutting-edge labs including the Trauma Services BC, Vaccine Evaluation Centre and Global Surgery Lab, and is the author and co-author of several academic articles and conference abstracts.
As an advocate, Hunter is the vice president of academics for the Vancouver Fraser Medical Program where she works collaboratively with faculty on curricular activities. She’s also a task force leader for the Canadian Federation of Medical Students, which represents and supports more than 8,000 medical students across the country.
“I feel honored to win this award,” she said. “UBC provides amazing opportunities for students to be involved in research, advocacy and leadership. I feel very grateful that I’ve had the support and mentorship to pursue the full breadth of my interests.”
“In the future, I hope to continue to pursue cutting-edge research as an academic surgeon with a particular focus on the integration of technology in surgery, as well as equity and accessibility in surgical care.”
It’s student achievements like this that continue to inspire Dr. Roger Wong, vice dean of education with the Faculty of Medicine.
“It’s truly amazing to see how dedicated UBC medical students are to improving health and well-being for patients and communities,” he said. “We’re very proud of Olivia and know that she will continue to make significant contributions to both the academic and wider community in the future.”