Student Leadership Award

The UBC MAA Student Leadership Award recognizes and honours two medical students, one student in Year 1 or 2 and one student in Years 3 or 4, in the UBC MD undergraduate program, who demonstrate excellence in leadership by engaging and guiding others in promoting a responsible and evolving medical student community and/or health care system.

Each recipient of the award will be presented with $500 to be used towards tuition.

Congratulations to the 2023 Student Leadership Award Recipients:

Year 1-2: Karen Rofaeel

Karen is a second-year medical student at the Vancouver Fraser Medical Program. She has served as Class President for the past two years and has prioritized advocating for the needs of her class through this role. She was instrumental in improving student scheduling of clinical sessions, lecture timing, maintaining in-person learning whenever possible during the pandemic, and reinstating The Cadaveric Body Donor Memorial Service. Karen is also very passionate about mentorship, which is evident in her involvement with UBC’s Pathways to Medicine, the Student Affairs Mentorship Program, FLEX Activity Day, and Year 1 Orientation. Outside of medicine, Karen is also involved in an outreach service for houseless individuals in the Downtown Eastside and co-founded an Alumni Network for her undergraduate program prior to medical school. Karen also enjoys being outdoors, travelling, reading, and is always on the hunt for a good cup of coffee. Karen would like to thank the UBC MAA for recognizing her with this award, as well as her mentors, colleagues, and peers for their continuous support.

Year 3-4: Davy Lau

Davy is a 3rd year medical student at the Vancouver-Fraser Medical Program. Having witnessed the impact of the pandemic on his classmates and healthcare professionals, he wanted to spark a cultural change, where students develop the habit of seeking out support for their mental health now, that will carry with them in their roles as future physicians. As such, he-cofounded Medline, a 1-on-1 peer support service that allows UBC medical students to chat anonymously with other students – “peer supporters” that have been trained in active listening. In its 1st year, Medline has been well-received by the medical student community, with supporters having conducted several sessions for students seeking support on a variety of topics.

Davy is also passionate about his work with the Political Advocacy Committee (PAC). He’s had the privilege of speaking to federal MPs and CBC Radio on the importance of Universal Access to Contraception. This year, he’s leading a team to advocate on addressing surgical waitlist times, with a policy paper underway and meetings with provincial MLAs in the Spring.

Prior to medicine, he spent 3 years at UBC studying Cellular & Physiological Sciences, and over a decade playing classical piano. Outside of school, you can find him on the piano, in ballet class, or on the couch with his mum. He’s also been a part of UBC Med’s contemporary dance group Terpsichore and the theatre group MedPlay.