Rohit is a second year MD/PhD student. Supervised by Rob Rohling and Chris Nguan, his research focuses on developing intelligent ultrasound for the early identification of chronic kidney disease. He serves as a student affairs representative, and has previously held roles such as an journal editor, medtech hackathon director, radio show host, and football coach. Rohit is thankful for the MAA Student Leadership award, and the Medical Alumni Association for their generosity.
Rohit Singla, 2020 Student Leadership Award Recipient
Vivian Tsang, 2020 UBC MAA Student Leadership Award Recipient
Vivian is a fourth year medical student at the Vancouver Fraser Medical Program. Through her medical school journey, she has held a variety of positions to promote the positive evolution of the medical student community. Through her work at the Center for Health Education Scholarship, she investigated students’ ability to transfer learning and discovered testing techniques to facilitate application of learned materials. She was the past student Senator for the Faculty of Medicine and relays the voice of medical
students to university leadership. Outside of UBC, she was one of ten medical students nation-wide selected to brainstorm priorities for the 2019 federal election for the Canadian Medical Association and spoke on physician gender pay gaps at the International Federation of Medical Students Association in Slovenia. She leads a National paediatrics initiative and serves on the Board of Directors of various Canadian clinical trial and research groups. Vivian is committed to improving systems both within and beyond the medical student community and has hopes to dedicate her life to improving healthcare accessibility and reducing social inequalities for vulnerable population groups.
Congratulations Dr. Jim Huang, MSc’11, MD’15, a recipient of the 2020-2021 UBC Alumni Builder Award
Knowing that we’re stronger together, a small group of UBC’s first graduates formed alumni UBC on May 4, 1917. The UBC alumni community is now a global network of more than 360,000 UBC alumni in 140 countries.
The Alumni Builder Awards were established as part of alumni UBC 100, the alumni association’s centennial, to recognize alumni who, in their own way, have made important contributions to the success of UBC and its alumni community. The awards are presented by alumni UBC on the recommendation and in partnership with UBC’s faculties, advisory councils, and other leadership groups.
Dr. Jim Huang, MSc’11, MD’15, is awarded an Alumni Builder Award in recognition of his impactful contributions to the UBC Southern Medical Program (SMP) community as a student through co-founding the SMP Student Golf Tournament that continues to support local charities. As an alumnus, Dr. Huang has shown his continued dedication to the SMP and Kelowna community as a Hospitalist and a Clinical Instructor at UBC.
Dr. Huang’s passion for volunteerism started early in his career. While completing his Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Simon Fraser University and Masters of Science in Medical Genetics at UBC, he volunteered his time for Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver and the Sunnyhill Health Centre for Children as a Recreational Therapist and Aquatic Therapist Assistant, engaging children with disabilities to live their lives to the fullest.
As an MD student of the SMP inaugural graduating class, Dr. Huang helped co-found the first SMP Student Golf Tournament in 2012 with an organizing committee of fellow students. From its inception, the cofounders’ vision was to bring the SMP and Kelowna medical community together for a day of golf and community building, while raising important funds for local charities. Dr. Huang’s contributions to the first two year’s of the Tournament’s beginnings helped lay the groundwork for successive groups of SMP students to grow this annual event into a highly-regarded community event, supported by local medical students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Kelowna-area physicians every year. Since its inception, the Tournament has raised almost a combined $50,000 for local charities, including the Kelowna General Hospital Auxiliary, Kelowna General Hospital Foundation, and Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Kelowna. In 2019, the tournament raised over $20,000 for Hope Air, a charity which provides transportation for patients in financial need to ensure they receive vital medical care away from their hometowns.
During his time as a student, Dr. Huang also served as an ambassador for the SMP and participated in numerous marketing initiatives for prospective medical students. Today, Dr. Huang is a Hospitalist at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) and a Clinical Instructor with the Department of Family Practice, UBC Faculty of Medicine, assisting with medical education through moderating small group sessions and teaching students in clinical settings at KGH.
While still young in his career, Dr. Huang has set an example for future SMP alumni by promoting collaboration, community building, and philanthropy in the SMP and Kelowna, and inspiring current and future SMP students to do the same. Please join the UBC Southern Medical Program and the UBC Faculty of Medicine in recognizing Dr. Huang for his service, dedication, and contribution to UBC and its alumni community. Tuum Est!
In all, 19 Alumni Builders are being recognized this year. A complete list of recipients can be found at www.alumni.ubc.ca/alumni-builder-awards/ . Recipients will be recognized this winter and spring at a host of alumni programs and special events.
To learn more about alumni UBC, Alumni Builder Awards Program and other initiatives, you are invited to visit the www.alumni.ubc.ca/alumni-builder-awards/
Congratulations Alixandra Bacon, BSc’07, BMw’12, a recipient of the 2020-2021 UBC Alumni Builder Award
Knowing that we’re stronger together, a small group of UBC’s first graduates formed alumni UBC on May 4, 1917. The UBC alumni community is now a global network of more than 360,000 UBC alumni in 140 countries.
The Alumni Builder Awards were established as part of alumni UBC 100, the alumni association’s centennial, to recognize alumni who, in their own way, have made important contributions to the success of UBC and its alumni community. The awards are presented by alumni UBC on the recommendation and in partnership with UBC’s faculties, advisory councils, and other leadership groups.
Alixandra (Alix) Bacon, BSc’07, BMw’12, is awarded an Alumni Builder Award in recognition of her service to the midwifery profession through strong leadership in Canada and across the world, and her commitment to midwifery education at UBC as Clinical Faculty.
Since graduating from the UBC Midwifery Program in 2012, Alix has been serving families in the Richmond and Delta communities. Prior to midwifery, she worked as a sexual health educator. She is a part of the Clinical Faculty at UBC and has worked in midwifery education and association-strengthening in East Africa through UBC Midwifery’s Students for Global Citizenship and the UNFPA-CAM Strengthening Midwifery Services in South Sudan projects. As an alumna of the UBC Midwifery Program, Alix was awarded the UBC Midwifery Vision and Leadership Award in 2015.
During her tenure as President of the Midwives Association of BC (MABC), Alix led the contract negotiations working group in preparation for agreement re-negotiation and participated in ongoing re-negotiation with the BC Ministry of Health. At the national level, Alix is the current President of the Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM) and her leadership is focused on advocating for essential supports for midwives, disseminating practice supports and inter-professional collaboration to ensure the sexual and reproductive rights of birth people are prioritized during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alix and CAM are also committed to advocating for the growth of Indigenous midwifery, strengthening associations within our confederacy and globally, and promoting excellence in midwifery practice, reproductive justice, and anti-oppressive approaches to health care through knowledge translation.
Alix’s dedication and passion for midwifery and healthcare is evident as she continues to support the midwifery profession through education and advocacy. Please join the UBC midwives and the UBC Faculty of Medicine in recognizing Alix for her service, dedication, and contribution to UBC and its alumni community. Tuum Est!
In all, 19 Alumni Builders are being recognized this year. A complete list of recipients can be found at www.alumni.ubc.ca/alumni-builder-awards/ . Recipients will be recognized this winter and spring at a host of alumni programs and special events.
To learn more about alumni UBC, Alumni Builder Awards Program and other initiatives, you are invited to visit the www.alumni.ubc.ca/alumni-builder-awards/