A UNBC student and Northern Medical Program hopeful has been shortlisted for a Health Innovation Challenge award.
Sophia Harrison's essay on the creation and development of the First Nations Health Authority is one of five papers named as a finalist by the Health Council of Canada.
"It was surprise," she said. "There were only a few of us that were nominated, so it was a surprise and an honour."
A staff panel from the council came up with the shortlist and another jury, which includes council CEO John Abbott, will make the decision on the winner. The winner will take home a cash prize, have their essay posted on the council website and have a chance at an internship with the council.
"The quality of the entries were quite good," Abbott said. "We were more than satisfied with the ones that we received."
Now in its fourth year, the contest aims to get students in health policy related courses to think deeper about either an innovation in the health sector they've developed or research how innovative practices are being put into place.
Harrison had studied First Nations health during a previous course at UNBC and when her professor Jason Morris told her about the contest she decided to delve in deeper.
"Anyone who is going to practice in the north should be involved in this or at least aware of the way health care for First Nations can be improved," she said. "I think it's ongoing theme of my career."
The First Nations Health Authority is getting off the ground this year in B.C. and is expected to start delivering services either this summer or in the fall. Harrison believes it's a model that can be replicated in other jurisdictions.
"I think it's a huge step forward and it's pretty relevant given all the activity that's been going on with Idle No More and calls for greater autonomy," Harrison said.
She said it's important for First Nations groups to be able to deliver health care to their people because the current system run by the federal government isn't working.
"There's a huge gap between the health status of First Nations compared with the rest of Canadians," she said.
Originally from Vancouver, Harrison graduated from UBC with a degree in forestry and resource conservation but decided to change her career path and has applied to the Northern Medical Program. She moved to Prince George in 2011 to finish her prerequisites at UNBC and get a feel for the community.
Harrison will hear if she won the essay challenge on April 2, but is counting down the days until May 15 when she'll find out if she made it into medical school.
