Northern Medical Program Introduces New Students

Monday, January 09, 2006 01:53 PM

Dr. David Snadden, Associate Vice-President of Medicine at UNBC, introduces the 24 new Northern Medical Program Students

The Northern Medical Program has officially welcomed it's new crop of students. The 24 were introduced to local media today.    Dr. David Snadden, Associate Vice-President of Medicine at UNBC noted that with the new compliment of students, their buidling is, for the first time, nearing its full capacity.

Snadden also issued thanks to the community "This is a program that was designed by the community and the community has taken ownership" said Snadden, "It is important we thank the community for all its support, through donations to the Northern Medical Trust, the support from the people of Prince George, and thanks to the physicians who have been tremendously supportive".

Of the 24 students, 15 are female, nine are male, and they have come from all over Canada. Here are some of the home towns:
Prince George, Chetwynd, Barriere, Oliver, Vernon, Kamloops, Campbell River, Vancouver, Burnaby, Red Deer, Christina Lake, Fort Resolution and Sudbury Ontario.
Taylor Riutta is from Sudbury Ontario, a city with a core population of about 90,000 ( annexed outlying areas boost the numbers to about 125,000). The University there, Laurentian, has just started a similar medical program "Initially, I wanted to go to Laurentian, but UNBC gave me the call, and it has been a blessing in disguise" says Riutta.   "I love that I can look out the window and see all this greenery, I love the small class size, and the program here is superior in that the curriculum is already established."

For Alym Abdulla, coming to Prince George is a major change. From Burnaby, the young man says he didn't know what to expect "UNBC and Prince George certainly have exceeded my expectations, in that there is a real family feel among the students, and in the community" says Abdulla. "I can certainly say everyone is very friendly, and the whole community just seems a lot safer than the big city." Abdulla studied Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University before being accepted into the Northern Medical Program. "Being able to be educated here is such a priviledge, I am so very happy to be here."