Spotlight on scholarships
Medical student Livia Anthes is the most recent recipient of the Annie Hamilton Scholarship in Medicine. (Submitted photo)
Sometimes timing is everything. For medical student Livia Anthes (BSc’14, MSc’17) that was the case when she was awarded the Annie Hamilton Scholarship in Medicine. It provided support, encouragement and empowered her to focus on what’s most important.
“Financial support helps students focus on the areas of medicine they are interested in and worry less about the financial implications of their choices. That’s the very reason I’m so grateful to people who financially support students,” she says.
“My education has been fully self-funded, so every contribution makes a difference and helps to lessen my debt load,” says Livia, who completed a master’s degree in 2017, the same year she started medical school.
“When you see those numbers add up, you don’t want to let it sway your future career choices, but that is the reality of studying medicine.”
Receiving the scholarship in the name of a woman who carries an incredible legacy also meant a great deal to Livia.
“Annie Hamilton’s legacy added a layer of excitement. I was aware of her history because of research I’d done for my class Euphoria skit the previous year,” she says, referring to the medical school’s long-running annual talent show and fundraiser.
“I reflected a lot on her legacy at Dalhousie and within the greater medical community. I was struck by her courage. She faced difficult personal circumstances, yet she remained in service to her community. It underlined to me what I felt very early on in medical school—medicine is a service. It’s so much more than a career, a degree or a title. It’s a role that you play in your community that comes with a tremendous amount of privilege and responsibility.”
Empowering the next generation of female physicians
Dr. Hamilton was the first woman to graduate from Dalhousie’s medical school in 1894. Her journey was wrought with obstacles; at one time she even left Dalhousie so she could return to teaching as a means to make money. Nevertheless, she persisted, eventually becoming a pioneer in the field of medicine.
The scholarship fund was created in 1990 by a number of female medical school graduates to honour the 100th anniversary of Dr. Hamilton’s enrolment. Over the decades it has supported many female students on their journey to becoming physicians.
And as Livia can attest, it’s not always an easy one. “Second year of medical school was very challenging. The way I was pushing myself wasn’t sustainable and it was having a negative impact on my personal life and health,” she says. “I geared myself back; I wanted my effort to be more holistic. Being awarded the scholarship at that time reminded me that people believe in me and made me feel that I was doing good work.”
Charting her path
For Livia, third year of medicine has been the most rewarding and has brought her closer to why she chose to pursue a career in the field—the human element.
“This year has been much more of the human lens where you understand the impact of your decisions and apply knowledge in a meaningful way.”
As the COVID-19 situation evolves, Livia and her classmates were not able to continue with their clinical work through the spring. While the uncertainty was challenging and missing clinical time was hard to grapple with, Livia chose to see the silver lining. It gave her time to continue to reflect on the areas of medicine she loves and how she can make a difference.
“Right now, I’m waffling and have not narrowed down specialities. Entering clerkship, I made a pact with myself to remain open-minded and to enter every situation curious and truly immersing myself,” she says. “I love so many different things and can see myself in many areas, but I keep asking myself: ‘Where can my abilities and skillset best be served and where can I be most effective?’”
And she feels finding those answers will enable her to serve her community the best way she’s able.
