Every year, UBC Health offers several awards and scholarships to outstanding individuals and teams who embody excellence in interprofessional collaboration, health education, and research.

These awards not only celebrate academic and research excellence of faculty and students from various health disciplines at UBC but also recognize achievements of health professionals and community educators across British Columbia.

Awards for Health Educators, Professionals, and Community Partners

These awards are open to health educators, professionals, and community partners in health who have made significant contributions to the advancement of healthcare education and practice. Nominees may be from or outside of the University of British Columbia. Nominations must be supported by at least two nominators.

award nominations for 2023 close on November 10, 2023.

  Open All

John McNeill Excellence in Health Research Mentorship Award

The John McNeill Excellence in Health Research Mentorship Award recognizes outstanding mentorship by faculty members at any stage in their academic career, in any of UBC’s health-related disciplines, who have formally been identified as mentors, and who exemplify a deep commitment to fostering the professional and personal development of faculty colleagues, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows in the early stages of their academic careers.

Established by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in honour of Dean Emeritus John McNeill, this prestigious award is valued at $10,000.

How to Apply

John F. McCreary Prize for Interprofessional Teamwork

The John F. McCreary Prize was created to recognize and promote interprofessional teamwork in the health and human service professions. The award is named after Dr. John F. McCreary, the first coordinator of health sciences at UBC, and is intended to draw attention to Dr. McCreary’s vision of interprofessional collaboration in clinical work and education and the value of a team approach in meeting the health care needs of British Columbians. The first McCreary Prize was awarded in 1994.

The prize is valued at $1,500 and will be presented to a representative of the recipient team.

How To Apply

Award for Excellence in Interprofessional Teaching and Learning

The Award for Excellence in Interprofessional Teaching and Learning recognizes two outstanding educators who demonstrate excellence in facilitating interprofessional groups of learners at UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan.

The awards are valued at $1,000 each and will be presented to two educators who have facilitated interprofessional learning activities for UBC Health, such as the Integrated Curriculum, and have demonstrated exemplary facilitation skills.

How To Apply

Practice Education Team Award

The Practice Education Team Award honours a healthcare team that provides outstanding interprofessional collaborative patient-centred education* in the practice setting for pre-entry to practice level students. 

The award is valued at $1,000 and will be presented to a healthcare team in a practice setting.

How To Apply

R. Paul Kerston Community Educator Award

Named after long-time community educator, R. Paul Kerston, this annual award was established in 2014 to honour outstanding community educators who have made a difference to student learning at UBC.

The award is valued at $1,000. In the event there is more than one recipient selected, the award value will be shared amongst recipients.

How To Apply

UBC Student Scholarships

These scholarships are intended for current UBC students with good academic standing in any health or human services degree program and who meet the minimum eligibility criteria. Each award has a different application process, including varying required forms and supporting documentation.

Scholarship applications for 2023 close on November 10, 2023.

  Open All

ImpactBC Scholarships in Health Care Research and Development

Scholarships totalling $6,800* have been made available through an endowment established by ImpactBC for outstanding student(s) enrolled in a health program at UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan who have completed a research or development project focusing on patient/client involvement in healthcare decision-making or in health professional education. 

ImpactBC was instrumental in advancing health care improvement and patient engagement in BC from 2000-2015. The awards are made on the recommendation of the Office of the Vice-President, Health, and in the case of graduate students, in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (Vancouver) or the College of Graduate Studies (Okanagan).

*One or more scholarships valued at a minimum of $1,000 each will be offered every year.

How to Apply

John H. V. Gilbert Interprofessional Scholarship

A $500 scholarship has been endowed by friends and colleagues in honour of Dr. John H.V. Gilbert for an outstanding student at UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan who, having completed the penultimate year of any health or human services degree program, combines academic excellence and demonstrated student leadership in interprofessional education for collaborative patient-centred practice.

Activities related to interprofessional education in all undergraduate years are considered.

The scholarship is made on the recommendation of the Office of the Vice-President, Health.

How to Apply

Professor Jessie Gordon MacCarthy Memorial Scholarship

A scholarship of $900 has been endowed by family, friends and colleagues of the late Jessie Gordon MacCarthy, who for 10 years contributed through teaching, administration, and research to the development of the health sciences at UBC. The award is made to the student who, having completed the penultimate year of any health program at UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan, best combines academic excellence, demonstrated interest, and leadership in the field of community and/or population health.

Activities in the years immediately preceding admission to UBC may be considered as well as activities carried out while an undergraduate.

The scholarship is made on the recommendation of the Office of the Vice-President, Health.

How to Apply