Arielle Roberts (IMP Class of 2021) came is the Island Medical Program knowing she wanted to practice family medicine. Now, she has a scholarship recognizing her commitment to the field.
Photo by Kane Roberts
Arielle recently received the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) Medical Student Scholarship. This award recognized outstanding medical students with an interest in family medicine and who have shown leadership in the specialty during their studies. Only one student may be nominated for this award per medical school
“It’s nice to have recognition and a celebration of all the time and effort I put into my role as the Family Medicine Interest Group IMP co-chair and my various projects during my time in the Duncan ICC,” Arielle says.
These projects included calling senior patients from a local family practice clinic during the initial stages of the COVID-19 shutdown. “The idea was just to check and make sure they were isolating, that they had enough support—someone to bring them groceries, etc.—and that they knew the office was still open if they required care,” she says. “Many of them were very appreciative, and in over 300 calls, I identified three or four people who really needed assessment and made sure their family doc called them that day.” Arielle also volunteered to help the maternity-neonatal care team at Cowichan District Hospital with administrative tasks around the office.
“I came into medicine wanting to be a family physician, thanks to the mentorship of my childhood family physician from my hometown of Castlegar, BC, who really encouraged me to try for medical school. She was such a huge positive influence on me and I have always wanted to be able to do that for others,” says Arielle. “The award is another brick in the path towards that objective.”