Student Award

In 2023, the OHC Student Award honouring Dr. Joy Calkin was established as part of our ongoing commitment to the recruitment of health practitioners to our region. Dr. Calkin was instrumental in the planning and opening of Our Health Centre in Chester, Nova Scotia. Up to two $5,000 awards will be given annually to students entering their second year of studies in a Nova Scotia post-secondary institution's medical, nurse practitioner, nursing or doctor's assistant program.

2024

The OHC Foundation is proud to announce that Ava O'Neil, a second-year nursing student at Dalhousie University, is the recipient of the 2024 OHC Student Award in Honour of Dr. Joy Calkin.

Ava O'Neil’s selection as this year’s award recipient is a testament to her dedication as a student and compassionate member of her community. Born and raised in Digby, Nova Scotia, Ava’s connection to her home province runs deep. Many summers spent at her family cottage in Lunenburg, where her grandparents still reside, have further nurtured her growing passion for providing healthcare in rural communities.

Her commitment to rural healthcare is reflected through her extensive volunteer work at Tideview Terrace Nursing Home and the Tri-County Women’s Health Centre, a community health centre serving the Tri-County region. Ava’s dedication to healthcare was further solidified during her first clinical placement in Bridgewater, a community with which she shares a strong personal connection. Her experience and connections within rural settings have shaped her desire to pursue nursing and help address these communities' unique healthcare challenges.

Past Recipients

2023

MacKenzie Connors

Second-year nursing student from New Ross attending St. Francis Xavier University 

Ross Porter

Second-year medical student from Chester attending Dalhousie University

Eligibility

  • All students are welcome to apply but preference will be given to those who have a link to the area served by OHC and to the catchment areas of the South Shore Regional and Fishermen’s Memorial Hospitals

  • Applicants must be enrolled in and entering their second year of studies in a medical, nurse practitioner, nursing or doctor's assistant program at a Nova Scotia post-secondary institution