The John McNeill Excellence in Health Research Mentorship Award recognizes faculty members at any stage in their academic career, in any of UBC’s health-related disciplines, who have formally been identified as mentors and who exemplify a deep commitment to fostering the professional and personal development of faculty colleagues, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows in the early stages of their academic career.  This prestigious award was established by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in honour of Dean Emeritus John McNeill, whose leadership helped distinguish the Faculty as one of Canada’s best graduate programs and research environments, paving the way for future excellence in research and research capacity in health at UBC.

The 2024 recipient is Dr. Brett Finlay, Professor with the Michael Smith Laboratories and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Faculty of Science, and Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC. Working across disciplines on how microbes interact with humans in both health and disease, Dr. Finlay's research has contributed to major advances in the development of new vaccines, targeting the microbiome to reduce the effects of allergies, asthma and malnutrition, and exploring changes to promote healthy microbiomes for children. Dr. Finlay is praised as an exceptional mentor who fosters a collaborative and positive environment that encourages trainees to build their confidence and scientific prowess to pursue excellence in health research. Having mentored over 128 trainees, many of whom have successfully pursued careers in academia, medicine, and research, Dr. Finlay's mentorship philosophy has had lasting impact on trainees.

The Award for Excellence in Interprofessional Teaching and Learning recognizes two outstanding educators who demonstrate excellence in facilitating interprofessional groups of learners at UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan. The awards are presented to two educators who have facilitated interprofessional learning activities for UBC Health and have demonstrated exemplary facilitation skills.

Two exceptional educators are recognized as the 2024 recipients of this award for their significant contributions to interprofessional education at UBC.

Larry Leung is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Larry has facilitated 25 Integrated Curriculum workshops, covering essential topics such as Professionalism, Ethical Decision-Making, and Indigenous Cultural Safety. His facilitation emphasizes the real-world application of teamwork, professionalism, and ethical decision-making. He has created a learning environment that fosters critical thinking and collaboration, helping students from different healthcare disciplines understand each other's roles and responsibilties in a team. Larry’s scholarly work in interprofessional education goes beyond facilitation. As an IPE Scholar, his innovative ideas continue to challenge and improve IPE delivery, and his research on the future of online IPE will shape the interprofessional education landscape at UBC.

Jason Min is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Jason has facilitated 22 Integrated Curriculum workshops, addressing vital topics such as Foundations of Ethical Practice, Interprofessional Ethical Decision-Making, and Indigenous Cultural Safety. His facilitation has helped bridge knowledge and skills across disciplines, fostering essential collaborative competencies in students. His commitment to creating a dynamic, interactive learning environment has allowed students from diverse health professions to engage and develop professional abilities in a team-based setting. Jason has been a driving force behind the aEHR (Academic Electronic Health Record) pilot, a groundbreaking project that incorporates artificial intelligence into case-based learning and has the potential to revolutionize the way students engage with complex healthcare situations.

The R. Paul Kerston Community Educator Award was named after long-time community educator, R. Paul Kerston to honour outstanding community educators who have made a difference to student learning in health and human service programs at UBC.

Two outstanding patient partners are recognized as the 2024 recipients of the Kerston Award.

Vikram Bubber is a patient partner and community educator who has been supporting the development of health professions students at UBC since 2020. As a UBC Health Mentor, Vikran has mentored 18 students from 7 health professional programs, sharing his experiences with the healthcare system. He also co-facilitated the first-ever interprofessional activity for 47 students across 4 health disciplines at the UBC Surrey site. He has created educational videos and co-authored a scholarly publication about how patient stories can cultivate deeper understandings of patient experiences. Vikram's life story and mentorship has impacted students to strive for patient-centred care through shared decision-making as future clinicians.

John Dub has made significant contributions as a community educator by bringing the patient’s voice to health educational programs at UBC. As a Health Mentor since 2020, John has mentored 16 students from 7 different disciplines. He has also been a co-facilitator for an interprofessional collaborative decision-making workshop, an educator involved in Phamacy courses, and a patient panelist in Medicine. John's involvement in these activities have enriched students' learning by offering patient experiences in health education and helping shape the perspectives of future healthcare professionals. John presented the outcomes of some of his teachings in pharmacy at the UBC Celebration of Scholarship Day in 2024.

The ImpactBC Scholarships in Health Care Research and Development recognize outstanding students in a UBC health discipline who have completed a research or development project focusing on patient/client involvement in health care decision-making or in health professional education. The scholarships were established through an endowment by ImpactBC.

2024 Recipients

Morgan Grey is a second-year student in the Entry-to-Practice Doctor of Pharmacy program in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Morgan's research project aimed to improve healthcare education and enhance patient engagement by integrating patient voices and experiences into training. Morgan played a significant role in the “Building Resources and Accessibility in Neurology” (BRAIN) project by leading the development of patient-focused curricula related to major depressive disorders, dementia, and Parkinson's Disease. Morgan's compassion and collaborative skills encouraged a safe environment for patients to share their health journeys to create moving and powerful materials. Morgan has taken a student leadership role in the Parkinson Wellness Projects, a nonprofit organization that provides free and accessible resources, by facilitating online medication support groups and in-person learning sessions for patients with Parkinson's.

Renee Lim is a second-year student in the Entry-to-Practice Doctor of Pharmacy program in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Renee served as a co-lead for the “Building Resources and Accessibility in Neurology” (BRAIN) project, which involved direct engagement with patients to advance health care improvement and program curriculum. Renee led the development of program objectives, including facilitating online medication support groups for patients with Parkinson's Disease, creating curriculum integrating patient voices in areas such as Parkinson's Disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and bipolar disorder, and collaborating with the Parkinson Wellness Projects to design and deliver an in-person educational event for patients with Parkinson's. Renee's passion for advancing patient-centred care and respect for patient perspectives allowed her to meaningfullly engage with over 15 patients for this project and integrate their voices in the curriculum.