Curtis Leclerc is set to blaze a new trail as the first student to pursue a combined MD/PhD degree at the Northern Medical Program (NMP).
Jointly administered by the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of British Columbia (UBC), the seven-year MD/PhD program is designed for students who want to become clinician-scientists.
“I was inspired to pursue an MD/PhD due to my passion for medicine and research,” says Leclerc, who joined the NMP as a student in fall of 2022.
“Growing up in The Pas, a small Northern community in Manitoba, I witnessed the disparities between rural and urban settings, which helped fuel my desire to pursue medicine and to make a difference in underserved areas.”
In addition to fulfilling the requirements of the regular undergraduate MD curriculum, MD/PhD students also undertake graduate level coursework as required by their chosen field of research.
The unique program is directed by Dr. Torsten Nielsen, a clinician-scientist and pathologist at UBC and Vancouver General Hospital.
Leclerc’s PhD focus will be in interdisciplinary oncology and cancer care.
He will be supervised by Dr. Rob Olson, NMP professor and radiation oncologist and research lead at BC Cancer – Prince George.
“I am looking forward to mentoring the next generation of clinical trial experts,” says Dr. Olson, who is also division head of Radiation Oncology and Developmental Radiotherapeutics, Dept. of Surgery, UBC Faculty of Medicine and an affiliate UNBC faculty member.
“I am especially excited that Curtis is situated in the North, where his work can influence his medical student colleagues, and highlight the importance of clinical trial research and the ability to lead clinical trials from Northern B.C.”
Being able to carry out his MD undergraduate and PhD studies together in the north was a key factor for Leclerc in his decision to pursue the combined program.
“It was really important for me to stay in northern B.C. and do research up here,” said Leclerc.
“This area reminds me so much of where I grew up. Being in the north will provide an opportunity for me to address healthcare disparities directly and contribute to improving access and outcomes in rural and remote communities.”
He looks forward to one day becoming a physician who balances direct patient care with ongoing research initiatives dedicated to health service improvement.
