Photo: Dan Gwodz
Giving Back
From documentarian to doctor Heather Watson-Burgess is used to having the influence of strong women in her life. Now in her third year in the Faculty of Medicine, this busy mother of two recalls how her own mom completed two master’s degrees when she was growing up, inspiring a love of lifelong learning. Watson-Burgess spent a few years at home with her children before embarking on a career in documentary film, an industry she worked in for nearly a decade before starting a new chapter in medicine, one she couldn’t have attempted without the help of the Dr. Jennifer Burton Bursary in Medicine. Established by Jennifer Burton [MD/94], this bursary is offered to medical students who have spent at least 10 years in the work force or as a stay-at-home parent before returning to university to pursue a second career in medicine. Burton, now a practicing physician in British Columbia, was herself a stay-at-home mom before she decided to pursue a career in medicine at the University of Manitoba. The challenges she faced as she worked towards her degree inspired her to establish the bursary for medical students with a similar background.
“I know how hard it is. When I started medical school I wasn’t sure how I was going to pay for it,” says Burton. “I decided that if anyone else was in the position I was and if I had some extra money to help I would be glad to do it.” For Watson-Burgess, the bursary provides more than just a financial boost. “There aren’t many of us juggling med school and motherhood,” she says. “It feels like someone out there appreciates how high the stakes can be when one puts their life on hold to pursue a career in medicine.” Due to the fact that her own children and family are rooted in Winnipeg, Watson-Burgess says it was natural for her to choose the U of M and that she intends to practice in Manitoba as well. Watson-Burgess hopes to focus on the area of obstetrics after graduation and has enjoyed her experiences with patient care in that department. “The women are interesting people; each story is unique and I have yet to find an aspect of the work that I don’t love,” she says. Stories by Marshall Wiebe
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