Prince George, BC – Northern communities have approved the largest disbursement to date from the Northern Medical Programs Trust, to support students in the Northern Medical Program and the UNBC Family Nurse Practitioner Program…

Established a decade ago through commitments from communities across the region, more than 1350 donors have contributed to the Trust and the endowment is currently valued at $9-million dollars.

At its annual general meeting held in Fort St John yesterday, the Trust approved more than $160-thousand dollars this year, with the majority of funds assisting students pursuing clinical experiences in northern and rural communities as part of their eduction.

Vanderhoof physician, Dr Justin Frey is a graduate of UNBC and the Northern Medical Program.  "The NMPT removes some of the stress associated with paying for education as well as living expenses, allowing many of these well-rounded students to train while raising families," he says.  "Placed together the NMPT and NMP are allowing our area to produce top-quality physicans trained in the north, for the north.

According to UNBC, approximately two-thirds of the NMP graduates who have completed their residency are working in northern or rural communities.  Since the Trust first started providing disbursements in 2006, 370 student awards have been handed out.

At yesterday's agm, Trust members elected Vanderhoof Mayor, Gerry Thiessen, as president, replacing outgoing president, Fort St John Mayor, Lori Ackerman.

Thiessen says, "It's a privilege to be chairing the Northern Medical Programs Trust in the same year that the Northern Medical Program turns 10 years old and UNBC, itself, celebrates its 25th anniversary."

Mackenzie Mayor, Stephanie Killam, is the new NMPT Vice-President.