Witelson Memorial Prize helps medical students see their future
[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/witelson-prize.jpg” caption=”Megan Dunlop-Elms, Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation; Noah Vale, 2006 Witeson Memorial Prize winner; professor Sandra F. Witelson, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Albert Einstein/Irving Zucker Chair in Neuroscience and Dr. John T. Harvey, professor and head of the Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery at McMaster University. Photo courtesy of Megan Dunlop-Elms.”]Now in its eighth year of being awarded, the Dr. Henry Chaim Witelson Memorial Prize in Ophthalmology provides a unique opportunity to McMaster University medical students to learn about ophthalmology and participate in preserving and restoring eyesight.
The goal of the prize is to encourage more students to enter the field of ophthalmology and contribute to the exciting new developments in clinical care and research in a rapidly changing medical/surgical specialty.
This year's winner, second-year medical student Noah Vale, completed an elective under the tutelage of Dr. West-Mays at McMaster University. Vale was exposed to the fascinating world of molecular genetics, clinical research and their relationship to ophthalmology. This elective honed Vale's fine motor skills in microsurgery and histology of the eye.
“Through this elective I have gained valuable practical skills, as well as an appreciation of clinical and laboratory research, and some insight in relevant disease processes,” said Vale. “Receiving the Witelson Memorial Prize has further motivated me in my pursuit of a career in ophthalmology.”
Witelson's family and friends honoured the work and memory of the former chief of ophthalmology for the Hamilton Civic Hospitals by creating the prize. Since 1999, the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation has awarded the prize to eight promising medical students. Recipients use the funds to travel to eye clinics within Canada or work with non-profit organizations that provide eye care to third-world countries.
While the initial aim of the prize was to spark an interest in the field of ophthalmology for students, the results have exceeded these expectations as to date five of the graduate winners have secured residencies in this highly competitive specialty.
The first Witelson Memorial Prize recipient was Dr. Khalid Hasanee, who went on to do an ophthalmology residency at Queen's University. He also did a glaucoma fellowship at the University of Toronto. As of November of last year, Hasanee is on staff at Hamilton Health Sciences and Oakville-Trafalgar Hospital as a glaucoma specialist.
The 2007 Witelson Memorial Prize call for applications will go out in September. For more information, please contact Megan Dunlop-Elms, Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation, at 905-521-2100, ext. 76787.
