BC doctors support med students with bursaries

Third-year med student Mike Bergunder knew he wanted to be a doctor at an early age. When he was 8, his mom had to have a portion of her stomach removed for severe ulcers; what he saw, and the respect he felt for the physicians treating her, made an indelible impression. He knew he wanted medicine to be his career.

Two years later, when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Mike watched doctors try to save his mom, but the cancer had progressed too far, and she passed away. He moved in with his aunt, herself a single mom of two boys. She wasn’t well off, but raised him and his cousins well, and encouraged Mike to follow his dream of becoming a physician.

Mike was thrilled to be accepted into UBC Faculty of Medicine to pursue his goal—despite the financial burden that he and so many other students face. But cancer was to touch another important person in his life. His wife, Melissa, was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. Knowing what a devastating illness cancer can be, Mike put his studies on hold to help care for her. Clearly it was the right thing to do, but he wondered, would he ever be able to continue with medical school?

Mike is able to realize his dream, thanks in part to Doctors of BC support for bursary funds to help medical students with the cost of their education. 

Since 1995 Doctors of BC has granted almost $1.5 million in bursary funds to medical students. On April 7 Doctors of BC and UBC hosted the 3^rd annual event celebrating the students who have been granted bursaries.

Last year alone we awarded $218,000 in bursaries to provide financial assistance to 124 deserving students. The amount of funds and the number of student recipients has increased through the years. Doctors of BC sees this support as part of our responsibility to help cultivate the next generation of doctors.   A bursary can ease financial stress and provides the freedom to enjoy a more balanced life during medical school. Doctors of BC is dedicated to providing financial and career support to help students succeed.

Mike Bergunder attended this year’s bursary event.  With financial help from Doctors of BC, he is back in university and on his way to becoming one of those physicians he admired at age 8. He’s done rotations in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, and obstetrics, and anesthesia, and is looking forward to his rural family medicine rotation in Hope.   Thankfully,  Melissa’s leukemia is being controlled.

 “Scholarships, grants, and bursaries like this one from Doctors of BC,” Mike points out, “Not only allow student to focus on their studies, but in some cases, like mine, they can help prevent your efforts from getting derailed entirely.”

Student bursaries are just one of the ways Doctors of BC is supporting medical students—our doctors of tomorrow. For example, we invest $10,000 each year toward events and initiatives channeled through the Medical Undergraduate Society. The funding supports dozens of student-led initiatives, such as the UBC Stem Cell Club and the Healthy Young Minds programs.

Another way we support medical students is the “Find Your Match” speed networking evening. Here, medical students have the opportunity to meet and talk to practicing physicians from a variety of disciplines prior to making a decision about which branch of medicine to go into—a decision they must make in their third year. This year, Find Your Match events were held in Prince George and Victoria. Next year Doctors of BC plans to host events in Vancouver and Kelowna.

Doctors of BC is proud to support our doctors of tomorrow.