Now in its sixth year, the Doctors of BC Presidential Scholars Award in Medicine establishes an endowment for covering student and tuition fees and textbooks for one medical student annually for the entire four years of their medical education. However, due to an accrual of additional funding accumulated in the endowment, two students received the award in 2024.
Taylor Bootsma and Genoise Etman were chosen through a comprehensive process that evaluates potential recipients on a wide range of criteria, including academic performance, volunteer work, creative and athletic pursuits, and more. They each demonstrate commendable work ethics, commitment to a more equitable health care system, and a personal drive that will ensure they have bright futures ahead of them in medicine.
Taylor Bootsma – Creativity and health equity
Taylor’s decision to study medicine is rooted in her advocacy around health care equity and transforming the health care system to support those most in need. On winning the award, Taylor said: “Receiving this award is beyond anything I could have dreamed of. My journey to this point has been marked by uncertainty, immense personal growth, and the help and support of many people around me.”
Driven by her passion for creativity, Taylor has dedicated her talents to using her creativity for the greater good. She served as president of UBC’s PRINT Arts and Crafts Club, helping to lead workshops and providing students with a creative outlet during stressful times. At the same time, she donated leftover supplies and led workshops during weekly Women’s Nights at a Downtown Eastside clinic. She has since co-founded the Downtown Eastside Arts and Crafts Society with Claudia Barreto, a non-profit providing free arts programming in the community. Through her medical education, she hopes to do her part in supporting a health care system that is accessible and effective for all. And while she has yet to decide on her future specialty, her creative background will undoubtedly have a significant influence. “As a painter, I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and creating detailed, intricate pieces. This passion for craftsmanship and precision has sparked my interest in surgery, where those skills can be applied in a way that directly impacts patients’ lives.”
Taylor will keep her key priorities in mind whatever educational path she pursues. “Whether through surgery, policy reform, or another avenue, my goal is to contribute to building a system that ensures all individuals have the care and resources they need to live healthy lives.”
Genoise Etman – Compassion rooted in knowledge
For Genoise, the combination of scientific expertise and compassionate care drew her to study medicine. “It is the opportunity to be there for others in their most vulnerable moments—not only practically and tangibly through your knowledge and expertise, but also by offering comfort and support in the most human way possible.”
While she is looking forward to learning more about each specialty, she is drawn to internal medicine because of an interest in diagnostics and navigating complex cases. She credits her volunteer work in health care settings as an inspiration for her choice to become a physician. In 2019, Genoise founded the QT Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on inclusivity, particularly for people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. She also spent four years as a Sighted Guide and Virtual Vision Mate with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB).
Genoise is “incredibly humbled and profoundly grateful” to have received the scholarship and hopes to use her education to contribute to the well-being of her future patients’ diverse care needs. “Beyond medical knowledge, I aspire to develop the insight, communication, and ethical judgment critical to delivering good quality health care.”
