Medical student bursary named in doctor's honour

Ottawa area doctor is remembered for her passion and commitment.

Ottawa, June 22, 2004 - The medical profession suffered a loss when Dr. Christina Hill passed away on June 4, 2004. Her battle with cancer cut her remarkable life short at the age of 59. In honour of her memory and service to the community, the Academy of Medicine Ottawa (AMO) is proud to announce the Dr. Christina Hill Medical Student Bursary. The announcement will take place at the 5th Annual Charity Golf Tournament on June 23, 2004, at the Meadows Golf and Country Club.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of such a wonderful friend and colleague," said Dr. Gail Beck, AMO President. "Her contributions as a doctor and to the community that she served will not be forgotten."

As a urologist, Dr. Hill was well aware of the pressures doctor shortages in her area are putting on physicians and their patients. From GPs to specialists like herself, patients in Ottawa continually face a lack of access to doctors and long wait times for tests and appointments.

Back in 2000, The AMO with the help of Dr. Hill came together with local doctors to raise money for the Ontario Medical Student Bursary Fund by holding an annual golf tournament.

"Last year, the Executive Committee, which Dr. Hill was a member of, decided that we were going to have to act on a local level to ensure that our community has enough physicians in the years to come," said Dr. Beck. "We took a grassroots approach by creating a student bursary for local medical students. The more money we can raise, the more students we can support. The community benefits through these efforts, as a good number of these students will come back to Ottawa to practice."

This year's fundraising efforts will go to the local bursary, which will be awarded in 2005. The Dr. Christina Hill Medical Student Bursary is one step in helping our community ease that shortage.

Dr. Hill was an active member of the Academy of Medicine Ottawa and served on the Executive of the AMO from 1984 to 2003. Dr. Hill was the first Canadian woman to receive a fellowship in urology. She was Chief of Staff at the Salvation Army Grace Hospital from 1990 until it closed in 1998. As interim CEO, she took a lead role in the creation of the Ottawa Hospital.

"We believe that re-naming the bursary in Dr. Hills honour is a great way to keep her memory alive and inspire us to work together to keep our community healthy," concluded Beck.

The Academy of Medicine Ottawa is a branch society of the Ontario Medical Association, representing Ottawa physicians and advocating for best quality health care delivery and practices for patients.

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For more information please contact: Dawna Feeley, Executive Director, Academy of Medicine Ottawa at (613) 733-2604