SPRING HAS FINALLY ARRIVED in Manitoba! At this time of year, Winnipeg comes alive with colour, the evenings go on and on, and we’re thankfully free of mosquitoes. Here at the University of Manitoba, we hold Convocation to formally recognize achievement and accomplishment.
It’s a privilege to share in the joy and pride of students and their families from across the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences as they celebrate their graduations.
Watching these newly minted health-care professionals cross the stage reminds me of their connections with the generations of students who have gone before them. It’s inspiring to see how alumni and friends of the Rady Faculty keep those connections strong by helping today’s learners succeed.
Each year, a significant number of graduates would not be celebrating this milestone without the support of bursaries and scholarships made possible by our donors. I invite you to think about how you can help students fulfil their goals and advance the future of health care in Manitoba and beyond.
As you read this, students, faculty and researchers in the Colleges of Nursing, Rehabilitation Sciences and Pharmacy, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry and Max Rady College of Medicine are benefitting directly from the generosity of our alumni and friends.
- Cohorts of students representing eight health-care professions are learning with, from and about each other and the northern communities they are visiting as part of a two-week Interprofessional Practice Opportunity supported by the RBC Experiential Learning Travel Initiative.
- Undergraduate students from across the Rady Faculty are conducting original research under the supervision of faculty
members through the bachelor of science program in medicine, and through undergraduate and graduate research programs in dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and rehabilitation sciences. - Students in dentistry and dental hygiene are gaining clinical experience while providing life-changing care to patients who otherwise wouldn’t have access to the oral care they need, thanks to Patient Care Funds.
- Endowed chairs and professorships like the Dr. Lyonel G. Israels Chair in Hematology, the Leslie F. Buggey Professorship in Pharmacy and the Rady Chair in Interprofessional Collaborative Practice are ensuring that researchers have the dedicated time and resources they need to advance knowledge and practice.
- Graduate students like Dr. Brett Houston are exploring new frontiers to improve care for patients. Houston is investigating a new way to reduce the need for red blood cell transfusion in major non-cardiac surgery, with support from the Dr. Hector Ma Award in Research.
Homecoming 2019 is fast approaching. Mark your calendars for Sept. 16 to 22. At least 17 classes from across the Rady Faculty will be holding reunions this year.
This could be the perfect time to think about doing something as a class to support students today, and into the future. If you are interested in learning more about a class gift, please contact Adrienne Domingo at 204-789-3537 or adrienne.domingo@umanitoba.ca.
Feel free to get in touch with me with questions, or to find out more about what’s new. You can reach me at pat.robertson@umanitoba.ca or 204-789-3884.
BY PAT ROBERTSON
MANAGER, DONOR RELATIONS, RADY FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES