Congratulations to Dr. Ajay Bains, Dr. Amita Modi, Dr. Brian Christie, Dr. Erin Flanagan, Dr. Katherine (Kate) Preston, Kurt McBurney, Dr. WenQi Tan, and the Emergency Medicine rotation team on each receiving a 2026 Teaching Award! The awards recognize the outstanding contributions these educators made over the past year at the UBC Island Medical Program (IMP) and UVic School of Medical Sciences (SMS).
“I want to convey my heartfelt congratulations and thanks to this year’s teaching award winners” says Dr. Laura Farrell, Regional Associate Dean, Vancouver Island, UBC Faculty of Medicine and Academic Director, Vancouver Island, UBC Distributed Programs, UVic.
“We are so fortunate to have a large community of educators on Vancouver Island, many trained here on the island, who generously share their time to teach. Our teachers form the backbone of our program, and we are incredibly grateful for all they do. Their dedication, generosity, and commitment make an extraordinary difference in the education of the next generation of doctors and researchers.”
2026 Vancouver Island Clerkship Preceptors Teaching Excellence Award
Dr. Ajay Bains
Dr. Bains (Internal Medicine) received the Vancouver Island Clerkship Preceptors Teaching Excellence Award for the second year in a row. The award acknowledges the outstanding dedication, enthusiasm and respect he demonstrates while teaching the third-year IMP students as a clerkship preceptor. Current fourth-year students recommended Drs. Bains for this award based on their learning experiences last year.
“My personal philosophy is to try to make sure the teaching environment is fun, safe, and challenging,” he says. “I enjoy seeing learners excel – especially when I see them again several years later and they tell me something we did or experienced was helpful in their future endeavours.”
“I am really humbled to win again this year,” he says.
2026 Island Medical Program Outstanding Contribution to Clinical Skills Award
Dr. Amita Modi
Dr. Modi (Year 1 & 2 Site Director) received the first annual Island Medical Program Outstanding Contribution to Clinical Skills Award.
The new award acknowledges the outstanding dedication, enthusiasm, and expertise she demonstrated while teaching clinical skills to first- and second-year students at the IMP.
Dr. Modi joined the IMP in 2005 as a PBL (CBL) tutor and student mentor. Since then, she has become involved in various other teaching roles. “One of the aspects I find so enjoyable is seeing students make important connections in their understanding across different levels of learning and then apply their knowledge to the clinical context,” she says.
“In my role as a clinical teacher, I have come to appreciate the importance of developing an educational alliance with learners and of supporting an environment that promotes collaborative learning.”
“Our students’ enthusiasm and engagement in learning are truly inspiring. It is a privilege to work with them.”
2026 Teaching Award in Medical Sciences
Dr. Brian Christie
Dr. Christie (Professor, UVic SMS) received the 2026 Teaching Award in Medical Sciences (TAMS). The TAMS recognizes the teaching excellence of a full-time or affiliate UVic faculty member who has completed at least two consecutive years of teaching duties at the IMP for preclinical years or at the SMS.
Dr. Christie joined UVic in 2007 as a founding faculty member of the SMS, which was then called the Division of Medical Sciences. Over the years, he has taught undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. “I have been fortunate to teach students at many different stages, and I continue to learn a great deal from the perspectives and experiences they bring to the classroom and laboratory,” he says.
“My teaching philosophy is fundamentally student- and trainee-centred. I see my role as creating the conditions in which students can develop curiosity, independence, and confidence, while ensuring that they have the support they need to succeed,” he says.
“Whether I am teaching neuroanatomy, brain plasticity, or research methods, my aim is not simply to transmit information. I am also here to help students learn how to think critically, evaluate evidence, and become comfortable asking questions for which we may not yet have an answer.”
“What I enjoy most about teaching is seeing students become confident enough to ask their own questions and pursue their own ideas. It is particularly rewarding when a student moves from learning established knowledge to thinking critically about that knowledge, recognizing its limitations, connecting ideas across disciplines, and beginning to contribute something new.”
2026 Resident Teaching Excellence Award
Dr. Erin Flanagan and Dr. Katherine (Kate) Preston
Dr. Flanagan (Internal Medicine) and Dr. Preston (Internal Medicine) shared the Resident Teaching Excellence Award for 2026. They received the award in recognition of their outstanding dedication, enthusiasm, and respect while teaching third-year IMP students. Current fourth-year students recommended them based on their teaching experiences last year.
Both Drs. Flanagan and Preston graduated with the IMP Class of 2023 and started teaching when they became residents.
“My personal teaching philosophy is grounded in creating a space that feels safe and welcoming to learn in,” says Dr. Flanagan. “Questions and curiosity are always encouraged. Mistakes are expected!”
“Even though the hospital and the CTU can be intimidating places for students at first, I think they can also be really fun, positive places, and as teachers, we have the opportunity to set that tone and create a safe learning environment,” adds Dr. Preston. “I try to always build healthy and respectful relationships with my students so that they know I care about them and their learning. I know I’ve succeeded when people are asking lots of questions and aren’t afraid to highlight their knowledge gaps so that we can fill them together.”
Dr. Preston says her favourite part about teaching is getting to celebrate her students’ successes. “Seeing them recognize pathology we’ve talked about together or master a procedure we’ve gone over makes me feel such a sense of pride, and I’m always grateful to be part of those formative moments.”
Dr. Flanagan agrees. “One of the most rewarding things about teaching is watching learners grow and develop their clinical skills. Seeing my medical students and junior residents become more confident over the course of their CTU rotations brings me so much joy,” she says.
2025 Dr. Bruce Crawford Award of Excellence
Kurt McBurney
Kurt McBurney (Teaching Professor) received the 2026 Dr. Bruce Crawford Award of Excellence. Current third-year IMP students present this annual award to the teacher, preceptor, or tutor who made an impact on their first two years of medical training.
Mr. McBurney, who started working at the IMP in 2023, began teaching anatomy in 2005 and became faculty as an assistant teaching professor in 2010. Today, he teaches students in both the IMP and the UBC Master of Physical Therapy Program in Victoria.
“What I enjoy most about teaching is easy: the students!” he says.
“My philosophy about teaching is to make learning fun and simple. People do well at things they enjoy and can succeed at. So, I try to make anatomy fun and do everything I can to help the students succeed and do their best. That’s it really. I love my job.”
2026 IMP Community Family Physician Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching
Dr. WenQi Tan
Dr. Tan (Family Practice) received the 2026 IMP Community Family Physician Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching in recognition of her outstanding dedication, enthusiasm, and expertise in teaching first- and second-year IMP students. Current third year students nominated her for the award when asked to identify an extraordinary preceptor who made an impact on them over the first two years of their medical education and who they felt were deserving of recognition.
Dr. Tan started teaching for the IMP in 2020. “I ask my students what their learning goals are and try to find ways to help them meet their goals,” she says. “I hope that this way, they get the best learning experience and use of their time in family medicine.”
“The thing I enjoy most about teaching is the curiosity and enthusiasm that medical students bring to the clinical sessions. I especially like that they keep me engaged with excellent questions around the cases we see, and it is always a joy for patients and myself to have them in the clinic. I learn just as much from them as they do from me.”
2026 Island Medical Program Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award
Emergency Medicine
This is the sixth year in a row that the Emergency Medicine team has received the Island Medical Program Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award. The award acknowledges the rotation that provides the most efficient, supportive, and engaging learning environment for third-year IMP students completing their clinical learning. Current fourth-year students recommended the Emergency Medicine team for this latest award based on their experiences last year.
“Teaching is core to emergency medicine and one of the reasons we chose this field,” says Dr. Jim Goulding (Emergency Medicine) on behalf of the rotation team. “For me, it is one of the most fulfilling aspects of practice. The opportunity to teach the next generation of physicians is something special.”