Vancouver, BC - British Columbia’s future generation of medical professionals will look to kick-start their careers at a November 30 conference organized by a group of exceptional student leaders.
The Bench to Bedside Conference for Youth 2013 was developed to explore the synergetic relationship between medical research (also known as the "bench") and clinical practice (the "bedside"), and will seek to educate participants about career possibilities in both fields. The conference program will connect over 100 of the Greater Vancouver area’s most promising secondary school students with leading professionals in medicine and medical research.
The conference was organized by a group of young people led by aspiring cardiothoracic surgeon Kian Sani, a second-year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme student at Carson Graham Secondary School in North Vancouver. Mr. Sani believes that the conference will motivate potential doctors and researchers by fostering a direct connection between the province's current and future medical communities.
"For students like me who are passionate about pursuing a career in medicine, the first step involves understanding the wide variety of career opportunities in the field," said Mr. Sani. "My team and I organized this conference as we saw the need to help young people interested in careers in medicine better understand the relationship between medical research and clinical practice."
The conference’s student participants represent secondary schools across the Greater Vancouver area. Students were selected by their teachers or school administrators based on their academic achievements, extra-curricular activities and demonstrated interested in the medical field.
Also participating in the conference are some of Canada and British Columbia’s finest clinical researchers, clinicians, clinician-scientists and healthcare partners, who will give presentations and lead hands-on learning opportunities throughout the day. All presenters commended the conference’s mission to motivate, inspire and educate students by giving them the rare opportunity to interact with professionals in medicine and medical research.
Confirmed presenters to date include Dr. Ran Goldman, Co-Chair of the Division of Pediatric Translational Therapeutics in the U.B.C. Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Gregor Reid, Research Scientist in the Childhood Blood and Cancer research cluster at the Child & Family Research Institute (CFRI) at B.C. Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Cindy Verchere, Clinical Investigator at the CFRI. The conference will also welcome a slate of esteemed special guests from the healthcare community, including Franca Mancino, Vice-president Medical and Regulatory, Sanofi Canada.
In addition to attending presentations from the participating medical professionals, students will experience hands-on learning opportunities designed to expose them to different facets of the medical field. Activities will include a demonstration of stethoscope equipment donated by 3M Littman, a workshop about how to apply splints, and a lab skills demonstration of micropipette equipment donated by Gilson, Inc.
The conference is made possible by support from its three major sponsors––business software solutions provider PerfectMIND Inc., healthcare partner Sanofi Canada and telecommunications company Shaw Communications Inc. All three sponsors share a major commitment to helping advance careers in science and medicine amongst high school students.
Bench to Bedside Conference for Youth 2013 will take place at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (Burnaby campus) from 9:00am to 5:00pm on Saturday, November 30, 2013.
Complete information about the event, including the biographies of the organizers and presenters, is available at http://www.adayinthelifeofmed.com.
About Sanofi
Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients’ needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).
Sanofi companies in Canada include Sanofi Canada (pharmaceuticals), Sanofi Pasteur (vaccines), Sanofi Consumer Health (health and beauty), Genzyme (rare diseases) and Merial (animal health). Together they employ more than 1,700 people across the country. In 2012 Sanofi companies invested $122 million in R&D in Canada, creating jobs, business and opportunity throughout the country.
About A Day in the Life of Medicine
A Day in the Life of Medicine aims to engage youth interested in the field of medicine and medical research by organizing community events where they can learn from and interact with medical doctors and medical researchers. The group was founded by Kian Sani, an aspiring cardiothoracic surgeon and second-year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Student at Carson Graham Secondary School in North Vancouver. He represented Canada at the 24th International Biology Olympiad 2013 in Bern, Switzerland.
About PerfectMIND Inc.
PerfectMIND is an industry leading business solutions provider and one of Canada’s most innovative organizations. Listed on Canada’s Profit 100, PerfectMIND specializes in providing small to midsize businesses with simple and flexible software solutions and caters to a broad range of business sectors including health and wellness and service industries. PerfectMIND business applications & CRM platform includes integrated marketing and billing services and is highly customizable, easy to use, efficient, cost-effective and accessible anywhere and anytime. PerfectMIND’s mission is to become the business management platform of choice for small and midsized businesses by continuing to develop innovative, intelligent, robust, and cutting edge software solutions. More information about PerfectMIND and their Business Solutions can be found at www.perfectmind.com
About Shaw Communications
Shaw Communications Inc. is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.3 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 19 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY® and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.
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For further information:
Kristin Gable
NATIONAL Public Relations
TEL.: 514-843-2378
EMAIL: kgable@national.ca
