First Year For UNBC Med Grads

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. -  What a difference seven-and-a-half years make...

It was a sentiment echoed many times last night, as speakers at the Dr. Bob Ewert Memorial Lecture, Dinner, and Dancer - a fundraiser for the Northern Medical Programs Trust (NMPT) - proudly enthused about this year’s graduating class, the first from the program.

Prince George Mayor Colin Kinsley pointed out it was June of 2000 that "7,000 of our closest friends" showed up at a health care rally in Prince George, which proved to be the impetus for the medical program at UNBC.

Since then, he said, 24 communities from throughout the north have jumped on-board to bring the NMPT to its goal of a $6-million dollar sustaining fund.  Kinsley said 17 students received funding this year to help with their schooling expenses.

"It’s amazing to think we’ve come such a way in such a short period of time," said UNBC’s Vice-Provost Medicine, Dr. David Snadden.  Snadden said there are now 104 students in the Northern Medical Program, and, in three years, it will climb to128.

"But the most exciting thing this year is that we’ll be graduating our first class."  To laughter and applause, Dr. Snadden said, "We’re going to be having a party on May 10th and, I think, knowing Prince George, we’ll just have it in a big public arena somewhere and invite everybody."

David Sonnichsen is in that graduating class.  He went over some of the positive comments his classmates had received on their evaluations and said, "I think we should all be extremely proud of this feedback because I think it truly emphasizes the quality, the enthusiasm, and the commitment of all the people involved in the Northern Medical Program, and it ultimately speaks to the overall success of this program." 

"On behalf of the inaugural class -- the pioneers of the Northern Medical Program -- thank you all so much for all that you have done for us."

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us