THIRTY-SIX young Bahamians have received financial assistance from the Doctors Hospital Dr. Meyer Rassin Foundation scholarship fund to help offset their educational expenses.
The students are studying to become healthcare professionals, many aspiring to be physicians or surgeons, others working towards their qualifications in nursing and a number studying to become allied healthcare professionals.
Several of this year’s scholarship recipients received funding from the Dr. Meyer Rassin Foundation for a second or third year, ensuring that they are supported throughout their tertiary education.
“The Bahamas needs you,” Foundation Director Michele Rassin-Moodie told the students at the scholarship presentation ceremony.
“You see what’s going on right now with National Health Insurance. You see the obesity rates and non-communicable diseases, cancer… all of the things that are trying this country and making it more difficult and more costly to provide healthcare. I just want to thank you, being one of the Directors, to be able to look through all of your portfolios, read your essays, see your passion, and know that the country is going to be better because of all of you.”
The Dr. Meyer Rassin Foundation was established in honour of Mrs. Rassin-Moodie’s grandfather.
Doctors Hospital CEO Charles Sealy explained why the country’s premier private healthcare institution offers the scholarship assistance.
“We realised a long time ago that to become involved in healthcare is a costly venture,” he told the students and their proud parents. “We realised also that healthcare continues to change and the support that is needed is great and as many ways as we can find to assist in that regard we wanted to do the same. So the foundation was started with the same purpose.
“Over the years we have helped hundreds of students and we deem it an honour to be able to participate in this way. We look forward to when you return and are able to contribute to the healthcare industry here in The Bahamas.”
This year’s scholarships range from $500 to $2,000.
“I literally jumped up and ran to my mother and told her I got it,” said Donovan Williamson, a first-year medical student at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados.
“It’s a step to helping me in the right direction and achieving my dreams of coming back home and helping the healthcare profession be all that it can be. Not only will the scholarship help me with my tuition, but it will help me to stay focused and not get sidetracked, knowing that someone has my back and believes in me.”
Krystle Curtis, who is studying medical technology and biology at Gannon University, Pennsylvania, was similarly moved to receive word that she had received a Dr. Meyer Rassin Foundation Scholarship.
“I started to cry when I got the email at work,” she said. “I had applied to a few scholarships and didn’t get them, so just to get that good news and knowing that my parents won’t have that hardship to pay even more money, I’m just grateful for the opportunity.” Ms. Curtis aspires to be a forensic scientist or laboratory technician.
Each year, Doctors Hospital Health System donates a portion of its profits to the fund and, this year, Associates at the Hospital and Bahamas Medical Center rallied to host two events to raise additional money for the scholarship fund – the BMC Dri Tri and the DHHS Fun Run & Walk.
“It is important for Doctors Hospital to play a key role in the development of future healthcare professionals,” said Paul Haven, VP of Human Resources.
“We are constantly challenged to find Bahamians who have qualified in a number of critical areas and so far too often we are forced to look outside of the Bahamas to find staff that we need in order to continue to provide the very highest level of healthcare to the Bahamian public.”
Applications for the Dr Meyer Rassin Foundation scholarships are due by March 31 each year and forms and a list of requirements can be found on www.doctorshosp.com.
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