Celebrating community support

Dear Windsor Campus Community,

We recently invited first and second year students from the Windsor Campus to consider applying for a research award within those programs available from Schulich Medicine.

There are three such programs which include the Summer Research Training Program (SRTP), the Schulich Research Opportunities Program (SROP) and/or the Schulich UWindsor Opportunities for Research Excellence Program (SWORP).

This year, Schulich Medicine – Windsor Campus students will have even more opportunity to hone their research skills. I’m pleased to share with you that an anonymous donor has stepped forward to fund a student’s research project that is within the cancer/oncology domain.

This wonderful donation will fund oncology-related research projects throughout the next six years. It is an important way the Windsor community is supporting education at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. Recipients of the SWORP research funding awards, including this new oncology award, will be announced March 31, 2017 as part of the UWill Discover Undergraduate Research Conference at the University of Windsor.

This past year, another local donor found a way to support Schulich Medicine students, particularly those who might be interested in a career in psychiatry. Dr. Patrick Smith, a local family physician, created the “Stigma Enigma Sophie Smith Scholarship Fund” in his sister’s memory. It was awarded for the first time as part of the “Mingle for Mental Health” event that featured a keynote address by Margaret Trudeau.

There was strong interest in this scholarship from all our students. Sabrina Botsford is the 2016 recipient for the scholarship. Congratulations, Sabrina and thanks to all who applied for this scholarship. Our sincere appreciation to Dr. Smith for his generosity.

Since the previous newsletter the recipients of the 2015-16 Schulich Medicine - Windsor Campus clerkship awards have been recognized. Congratulations to Paul Webb (Anesthesia and Paediatrics), David Hudson (Surgery), Kristen Mayrand (Psychiatry), Abdullah Nasser (Medicine), Tong Wu (Family Medicine) and Oleksandra Dzyubak (Obstetrics & Gynaecology).

Before long the new year will have come and gone and the winter months will be upon us, so it is not too soon for me to encourage faculty to attend the Conversation & Coffee with the Dean event. It is being held on Monday, February 6, 2017 at the Windsor Regional Hospital’s Ouellette Campus from 7:30-8:30 a.m. During the session, the Dean will provide updates about major initiatives at the School and have an opportunity to answer your questions. You can email your confirmation for this event to Jennifer Parraga, Director, Communications & Marketing.

Wishing you and your families a safe and special holiday season.

Gerry Cooper, EdD
Associate Dean, Windsor Campus