Highly qualified students committed to advancing research in schizophrenia and related areas of neuroscience now have a unique opportunity to study at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Medicine, thanks to a new dedicated training spot within UBC’s MD/PhD program supported by the BC Schizophrenia Society Foundation (BCSSF).
Through this collaboration, BCSSF has committed to a three-year investment supporting an exceptional trainee within UBC’s MD/PhD program—a unique program that allows students to combine their medical school experience with intensive research training.
This new “BC Schizophrenia Society Foundation MD/PhD Scholar Fund” creates protected training space for within the MD/PhD program for a student dedicated to advancing discovery and care in serious mental illness.
UBC’s combined MD/PhD program integrates medical education with doctoral research training to prepare future clinician-scientists. Over the course of this seven-year program, students complete the full MD undergraduate curriculum alongside PhD coursework and original research, equipping them to translate scientific discoveries into improved patient care.
Clinician-scientists play a critical role in medical progress by connecting discoveries made through research in the laboratory or clinic to real-world patient care. Trained both as physicians and researchers, they are uniquely positioned to identify unmet clinical needs, design meaningful studies, and translate scientific advances into better diagnostics, treatments, and prevention strategies.
UBC’s MD/PhD program is internationally recognized for excellence in delivering an integrated training model that produces leaders in academic medicine whose work has shaped clinical practice and improved health outcomes across Canada and beyond.
This Scholar Fund would not be possible without the generosity of BCSSF donors, whose commitment is helping to shape the next generation of mental health researchers. Together, we share the goal of reducing the burden of schizophrenia and improving the lives of individuals and families affected by this illness.
“The Jack Bell Chair in Schizophrenia was established in 1990 at UBC, through generous donations from the BC Schizophrenia Society, and the kindness of Mr. Bell’s philanthropy. This new donation from BCSSF will contribute to training a new generation of physician-researchers dedicated to schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. The future is brighter now, with the commitment of the Society to developing knowledge, in parallel with learning the skills needed to provide excellence in care. I am very grateful for this initiative, and will fully engage with practical implementation through the MD-PhD Program.”
Dr. William G. Honer, MD, FRCPC, FCAHS, Jack Bell Chair in Schizophrenia
“The leadership and students — current and future — of the UBC MD/PhD program are deeply grateful to the BC Schizophrenia Society Foundation for its generous support. This funding will enable us to offer an opportunity for superstar trainees from across Canada to come to BC to train to become much needed clinician-scientist innovators in the study of schizophrenia. There is a huge need for research to improve clinical care and support in this under-studied area that so significantly impacts individuals and families across BC. By investing in Canada’s best and brightest, the Foundation is strengthening the future of schizophrenia research and care.”
Dr. Torsten Nielsen, MD/PhD FRCPC FRSC, Director of
