Seventeen UBC Faculty of Medicine faculty and learners have been honoured with 2024 Doctors of BC Awards.
The awards recognize the extraordinary achievements and contributions of physicians, resident doctors and medical students in areas such as community contribution, improving the welfare of British Columbians, health promotion and grassroots advocacy.
The awards were presented at Doctors of BC’s annual gala in late January. Read on to learn more about the Faculty of Medicine community members who were recognized.
Dr Don Rix Award for Physician Leadership
Dr. Roger Wong, Vice Dean, Education, UBC Faculty of Medicine, and Clinical Professor, Division of Geriatric Medicine, was presented with the prestigious Dr. Don Rix Award for Physician Leadership, which recognizes lifetime achievements and exemplary physician leadership.
“I am very touched to receive this prestigious recognition from peers and colleagues across British Columbia,” said Dr. Wong. “I am grateful for all the leaders in Medicine who have come before us — standing on the shoulders of giants, we are committed to making a difference together to advance health for our province, our country and our world.”
Dr. Wong works tirelessly to advance geriatric care, making a significant impact on the care for older people in Canada and around the world. As Vice Dean, Education at UBC’s Faculty of Medicine, he is a staunch advocate for lifelong learning. A past president of the Canadian Geriatrics Society and founder of the Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Unit in Vancouver, Dr. Wong has been recognized for his exceptional leadership in the field of seniors’ health by the Canadian Geriatrics Society, the British Geriatrics Society, the Australia and New Zealand Society of Geriatric Medicine, and more.
He has received medical education awards from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the UBC Killam Teaching Prize, and the UBC Department of Medicine Master Teacher Award. He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2020 and is one of the first geriatricians to be appointed this civilian honour, for his contributions to geriatric medicine.
Dr David M Bachop Gold Medal for Distinguished Medical Service
The Dr. David M Bachop Gold Medal is given to a B.C, doctor who has made an extraordinary contribution in the field of organized medicine and/or community service. It was presented to:
- Dr. Kathleen Ross, Clinical Instructor in the UBC Department of Family Practice, is a distinguished medical leader and family physician who has helped establish healthcare policy and led grassroots improvements. Dr. Ross is a past president of Doctors of BC and Canadian Medical Association. She serves as the inaugural Physician Lead and chair of Pathways, an online clinical and referral tool for physicians in B.C. and the Yukon, and is a founding member and Physician Lead for the Fraser Northwest Division of Family Practice. She has been twice recognized for her healthcare educational training project work in remote Andean regions of Peru with the Coquitlam Rotary Club and the Girl Guides of Canada. Dr. Ross has represented physicians at provincial, federal and international levels, including leading a medical contingent at the UN Climate Conference in Dubai in December 2023.
Dr David M Bachop Silver Medal
The Dr. David M Bachop Silver Medal in general medical practice is presented annually to the UBC family practice resident or practice-eligible B.C.-registered general practitioner who achieves the best overall result in the Family Practice Certification. It was presented to:
- Dr. Jacqueline Erickson, a graduate of the UBC Southern Medical Program, completed her and UBC Family Medicine residency training in Campbell River, where she developed a keen interest in Addiction Medicine. Dr. Erickson currently works at the North Island Medical Clinic and is collaborating with a colleague to establish a sustainable addiction medicine service for rural communities in the North Island.
Doctors of BC Silver Medal of Service
The Doctors of BC Silver Medal of Service is awarded to physicians for outstanding contributions to medicine and/or the improvement of British Columbians’ welfare. Four UBC faculty members received the award:
- Dr. Kathleen Cadenhead, Clinical Associate Professor, UBC Department of Family Practice, has taught and mentored students and residents for decades. As Chair of the Nutrition Committee with Doctors of BC, she has made outstanding contributions to the nutritional welfare of British Columbians, including improving food literacy in schools, supporting education around fad diets and increasing regulations around energy drinks in the province.
- Dr. Bruce Hobson, Clinical Instructor, Department of Family Practice, and Medical Director Program Standards at UBC Continuing Professional Development, is a renowned leader in medical education. His efforts include more than 30 years of longitudinal family medicine in Powell River, and establishing the qathet Division of Family Practice. A champion for health information technology, he has played an integral role in the development and the evolution of the Physician Data Collaborative, along with the Health Data Coalition.
- Dr. Bin K. Lim, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Practice, has made exceptional contributions to Family Practice and Emergency Medicine, underpinned by his dedication to excellence and commitment in providing compassionate care to his patients. During his career at St. Paul’s Hospital Emergency department, Dr. Lim demonstrated outstanding skills and clinical knowledge. His added competence in Emergency Medicine from the College of Family Physicians of Canada demonstrates his commitment to continued learning.
- Dr. Tracy Monk, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Family Practice, has been a generalist family physician for more than 35 years. Dr. Monk was part of the contingent that developed and implemented Pathways, a first-of-its-kind online clinical and referral tool for physicians in B.C. and the Yukon and is currently its Physician Lead. Her 20+ years of work with “Families for School Seismic Safety,” which she co-founded, has successfully advocated with the provincial government to seismically upgrade B.C. schools
Excellence in Health Promotion Awards
These awards recognize individuals, non-profits and organizations working to improve the health and safety of British Columbians. The UBC Faculty of Medicine recipients include:
- Dr. Navdeep Grewal, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, helped lead the South Asian COVID Task Force and later co-created the medical information podcast Avaaz, which provides learning opportunities for people to feel more empowered and informed about their mental and physical health.
- The UBC Families as Partners in Care Club (FPCC) was founded in the fall of 2022 by three dedicated medical students, Ella Barrett-Chan, Kristie Mar and Sarika Verma, inspired by their personal experiences of caring for family members. The FPCC encourages the integration of family-centred care (FCC) into the undergraduate medical program at UBC; develops resources for healthcare professionals; and establishes relationships with key partners — including Family Caregivers of BC and the Canadian Center of Caregiving Excellence. The group now includes 20 diverse medical student members involved in research, medical education and outreach, connecting students, caregivers, patients and healthcare professionals.
- The Volentia Healthcare Translation Services was founded by UBC medical student Riya Virdi and UBC master of physical therapy student Lynda Li, Volentia Healthcare Translation Services responded to a pressing need for patients who experience language barriers in health care settings. The team of more than 100 student volunteers fulfils for free translation and interpretation requests in more than 14 different languages to help these patients better communicate with healthcare providers and navigate the Canadian healthcare system, while informing future doctors of the importance of culturally sensitive and equitable medical care— care that leads to improved health outcomes. Volentia has also expanded from the clinical to the research world through its partnership with BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) in the Language Barriers Project, a research study investigating the barriers and facilitators to the inclusion of research participants and their families with limited English proficiency.
Changemaker Awards
These awards honour one medical resident and one medical student who have demonstrated exemplary leadership and dedication through grassroots advocacy efforts. This year’s recipients include:
- Sebastian Lopez Steven, a UBC MD student, who has championed healthcare reform through medical, political and grassroots advocacy. His work includes leadership positions in the UBC Medicine Political Advocacy Committee, and completing a term as the National Officer of Health Policy (NOHP) with the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS). He served as the coordinator of Bike Kitchen’s Bici Libre program, which supports the health of migrant farm workers by donating repaired bicycles so they can attend healthcare appointments while maintaining employment.
- Dr. Miini Teng, a UBC resident in Public Health and Preventative Medicine, has been an avid advocate for accessibility since 2010, having overcome a childhood visual disorder early in her life. Dr. Teng later volunteered with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and has since founded a charitable organization called Aquafit for All which helps develop adapted aquafit programs for people with disabilities. Dr. Teng also helped launch artificial intelligence (AI) workshops for UBC medical students and is working with the BC Centre for Disease Control to improve healthcare access for marginalized groups during climate emergencies.
Presidential Scholars Award
This annual entrance award funds all four years of medical school, including tuition, textbooks, and student fees. Recipients must demonstrate outstanding academic performance and community involvement, with an emphasis on health care improvement.
- Taylor Bootsma, a first-year UBC MD student, is a passionate advocate for health equity and addressing systemic challenges in health care. She served as president of UBC’s PRINT Arts and Crafts Club in the 2022/23 academic year, helping lead workshops and providing students with a creative outlet during stressful times. She is co-founder of the Downtown East Side Arts and Crafts Society, a non-profit that provides free arts programming in the community, alongside UBC Bachelor of Science graduate Claudia Barretto. Through her medical education, she hopes to support a healthcare system that is accessible and effective for all.
- Genoise Etman was inspired to study medicine by her experience volunteering in healthcare settings. In 2019, she founded the QT Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering inclusivity, particularly for people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, including those facing food insecurity. Genoise also served as a Sighted Guide and Virtual Vision Mate with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) for four years. She hopes to use her medical education to contribute to the wellbeing of her future patients’ diverse and complex needs.
A version of this story originally appeared on the Doctors of BC website.