This past Wednesday evening, our Unified Board heard a powerful presentation

on the work of The New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation.

This non- profit organization funds return-to-service scholarships for New Brunswick residents who are enrolled in a recognized medical school and are training to be primary care providers. Students who receive a scholarship are required tocommit to practice in New Brunswick following the completion of their studies (one year of service for every year of scholarship money) – and history shows that doctors who begin a practice in a particular community often are inclined to remain. So the goal is to create a pipeline of world-class medical professionals who will live and work in New Brunswick, and who will help ease the acute shortage of doctors and other medical practitioners that now exists.

The Foundation was established in 2010 by Dr. Donald Craig, a (now retired) Saint John doctor (whose family was once connected to St. Mark’s.) Since its inception, 313 New Brunswick students have received scholarships, and have promised 700 years of medical service to the province. In 2024 alone, 149scholarships were awarded, totalling $1.1 million.

This is a significant achievement. However, the Medical Education Foundation doesn’t yet have enough money to provide scholarships to all those who apply.

So it’s actively looking for additional funds, and reached out to the United Church of Canada Foundation in Toronto to see if it might qualify. UCC staff expressed real interest in the program, but stated that the NB Foundation should find a congregation in New Brunswick that would be willing to co-sponsor their application. So two reps from the Medical Education Foundation met with the Board on Wednesday evening to see if Saint Mark’s be willing to offer this support. In doing so, the congregation would not incur any financial obligations. The Board responded with a unanimous “yes!” It’s a small but tangible thing we can do to try and increase access to healthcare for all New Brunswickers. And, if the United Church Foundation approves the application, Saint Mark’s would also have the opportunity to build a relationship with the student who’d receive this scholarship and support that person in other ways. A positive spirit was evident on Wednesday night. And I believe it’s another sign that the Spirit of God IS alive and at work at Saint Mark’s United Church!