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UNBC ceremony recognizes doctor graduates |
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Written by BERNICE TRICK
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Saturday, 10 May 2008 |
Elizabeth Hillhouse, two and a half, jumps on stage to give her dad Brian a kiss during his graduation in the first class of UNBC medical graduates. There were 24 new graduates. (Citizen photo by David Mah)
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"The past four years have been both exciting and exhausting at times," graduate Sherona Supernault of Dawson Creek, told the crowd at the Agora courtyard at UNBC.
Upon arrival at UNBC following initial training in Vancouver, she recalled being greeted enthusiastically by community and media.
"Although stunned by the attention we were receiving, our class understood the genuine excitement and interest in the program," said Supernault who gave visitors a brief glimpse into the quickly passing four years beginning with two years in the classroom and physicians offices to Prince George Regional Hospital for third and fourth years.
"How important we felt to get paged (in third year), but the novelty wore off quickly as we stumbled out of sleep to head to the wards."
She added there was "a lot of stumbling" in third year in presenting patients to physicians, over emotions about sick and dying patients, and dealing with the realization of the knowledge needed in order to become physicians. But fourth year "was one of honing those skills and learning medicine from different perspectives."
On behalf of the class, she thanked UNBC's NMP medical staff who provided whatever students needed, physicians who guided them through, and patients who allowed them to develop skills of practicing medicine.
When it began to rain during the outdoor event, the graduates were ready and quickly distributed arms full of umbrellas to the people gathered.
Graduate Tag Danforth of Taber, Alta. said the four years also provided students with "some unsettling thoughts" such as pondering if this was such a good idea, or "there's no way I'm smart enough to do this" or "I am so far in over my head."
His thank you was aimed at all those such as husbands, wives and parents "whose lives became our support, our strengths, our confessors and our saviours"
"Thanks for putting us to bed after our 36-hour shifts, for personally reminding us that our personal hygiene may require some personal attention, and for believing in us and reminding us that we are living our dreams,"
Kathleen O'Malley, daughter of Dr. Michael O'Malley of Prince George, and Erin Hibbitts of Sechelt said they "are honoured to have trained here and are very happy the way the program has turned out. Both are headed to family practice residency programs in Nanaimo.
David Sonnichsen, of Kelowna, who will do his family medicine residency in Prince George, said he wants to practice in a smaller place such as Prince George where there's a real sense of community.
He said the highlight of his training was spending two practice electives with Dr. Matt Janzen and Dr. Burt Kelly, whom he describes as one of the best doctors I've ever seen."
Dr. Joanna Bates, representing the UBC Faculty of Medicine, expressed her pride in the NMP graduates, saying it was them who made the dream of such a program in the North into a reality now and for all students who come after them.
She said although the original idea of a NMP was viewed as a risk, it has become a new for medical education throughout North America.
At the end of the ceremony featuring NMP founder, Dr. Charles Jago, B.C. deputy premier Shirley Bond, Dr. Galt Wilson, NMP clerkship director, and Dr. Don Cozzetto, UNBC president, graduates were recognized with white doctor coats and beetle wood doctor shingles bearing their names.
The final tribute went to NMP leader Dr. David Snadden when the class of 2008 presented him with a unique Native painting. Then the class was sped onward to their next phase of training with a spiritual thank you song by Paul Michel, director of UNBC First Nations Centre.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 11 May 2008 )
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