Students awarded bursaries and offered employment

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An innovative program developed by Saskatchewan Health and Saskatchewan Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training is recruiting health professionals for the north and, at the same time, providing educational opportunities for northern students.

The northern students health bursary program provides students taking health concerns with up to $7,500 per academic year for up to three year. The program helps to fill professional positions in the northern health sector, as the students are asked to work in northern Saskatchewan for one month for each month of bursary assistance.

Since the program began in 1992, 19 students have been awarded bursaries.

The students who were awarded bursaries this year are Stacy Ballantyne of Sandy Bay, taking dental therapy at the National School of Dental Therapy in Prince Albert; Maxine Morin of Ile A La Crosse, enrolled in dental therapy at the National School of Dental Therapy in Prince Albert; Tracy Petrychko of Creighton, taking pharmacy at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon; Elizabeth Durocher of Ile A La Crosse, taking social work at Northlands College in La Ronge; Yvette Carriere of La Ronge, enrolled in nursing at Kelsey Institute in Saskatoon; and Marlene Hansen of Buffalo Narrows, taking Health Administration at Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies in Saskatoon.

The students have all demonstrated a commitment to contribute to the health and well-being of northern residents.

Northern students have received bursaries for nursing, mental health, health administration, dental health, pharmacy and medicine programs. To date, eight students have completed their courses and their work commitment.

The northern students health bursary program is not only solving the program of recruiting health professionals. It is developing a more representative work force in the northern health sector by providing opportunities to First Nations and Metis people. The bursary committee received an exemption from the Human Rights Commission to award two-thirds of the bursaries to students of Aboriginal ancestry.