The Southern Medical Program (SMP) Excellence Awards acknowledge faculty, staff, and residents who have made exceptional contributions to the learning of SMP students across the Interior Health region. Congratulations to our 2026 award recipients.

Year 1 Southern Medical Program Excellence Award Dr. Ronel Snyman
Year 2 Southern Medical Program Excellence Award Emmett Campbell
Year 3 Southern Medical Program Excellence Award – Kelowna Dr. Gina Polley
Year 3 Southern Medical Program Excellence Award – Trail Dr. Matt Halstead
Year 3 Southern Medical Program Excellence Award – Vernon Co-recipient Dr. Raelene Foisy
Year 3 Southern Medical Program Excellence Award – Vernon Co-recipient Dr. Charlie Secretan
Year 3 Southern Medical Program Excellence Award – Kamloops Dr. Rita Chuang
UBC Resident Excellence Award Dr. Mohammad Alkandari
2026 Southern Medical Program Graduating Class Award Co-Recipient Dr. Marjorie Docherty
2026 Southern Medical Program Graduating Class Award Co-Recipient Dr. Neil Long
2026 Southern Medical Program Graduating Class Award Co-Recipient Dr. Mary Malebranche	Photo unavailable

The Southern Medical Program is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Heather White as Clerkship Site Director, Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) for the Southern Medical Program (SMP) effective September 1, 2026. Dr. White is an emergency medicine physician at KGH and a Clinical Instructor with the UBC Department of Emergency Medicine.

Dr. White completed her medical degree and residency training at Queen’s University. Over the past six years, she has served as a tremendous advocate for medical education at KGH. As the Discipline Site Specific Lead for Emergency Medicine, Dr. White has helped enhance training opportunities for third-year medical students and foster an outstanding learning environment. Most recently, she has served as Chair of the UBC Interior Emergency Medicine Residency Core Curriculum Committee and as a member of the Royal College Emergency Medicine Examination Board.

As the new Clerkship Site Director, Dr. White will lead the Year 3 rotational clerkship at KGH. She will work in close collaboration with the Year 3 Site Directors across UBC’s distributed sites, Year 3 and 4 Associate Director of Curriculum, UGME Director of Curriculum, and the SMP administrative team to support program delivery.

Dr. Olusegun (Segun) Oyedele has been reappointed Assistant Dean, Southern Medical Program (SMP) for a three-year term effective July 16, 2026. Dr. Oyedele is a Professor of Teaching with the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences. He was the former SMP Site Lead for the Foundations of Medical Practice (MEDD) and Course Co-Lead for MEDD 412. Dr. Oyedele has been the lead Anatomy Instructor for the SMP since 2011 and has served as the Assistant Dean for the past three years.

Dr. Oyedele completed his medical education in Nigeria in 1993 and worked in General Practice, before earning his PhD in Developmental Biology at South Africa’s Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg. He also served as a Senior Lecturer in anatomy and health sciences education at Witwatersrand University. Over the past 15 years, Dr. Oyedele helped to implement the renewed MD Undergraduate curriculum and has made tremendous contributions to the Faculty of Medicine at both regional and provincial levels. His research interests focus on medical education, particularly small-group learning pedagogies and how case-based learning equips medical students for clinical decision-making during clinical training and beyond. In 2017, Dr. Oyedele was honoured with the Canadian Association for Medical Education (CAME) Certificate of Merit award and was a recipient of the UBC Killam Teaching award in 2021.

Dr. Oyedele will work collaboratively with the Regional Associate Dean pro tem, Interior, Assistant Deans from the Faculty of Medicine’s distributed education sites, and SMP clinical faculty leadership and staff to ensure the sustainable delivery of undergraduate medical education in the Interior Health region.

From May 4 to 8, 2026, the Healthcare Travelling Roadshow rolled into the communities of Logan Lake, Salmon Arm, and Vernon to showcase health professions to rural elementary and high school students.

Over 400 students took part in hands-on, interactive experiences and connected with health profession students in medicine, nursing, midwifery, respiratory therapy, paramedicine, social work, and audiology.

As part of the week-long tour through the region, the health profession presenters were hosted for a tour of the Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre in Merritt. Students learned about the various scopes of practice and gained a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities of rural healthcare delivery.

The Roadshow is a provincial initiative that has connected with more than 16,500 high school students during 102 community visits throughout northern and rural BC since 2010. This year’s edition of the Roadshow also included two northern BC trips and one on Vancouver Island.

The Roadshow is delivered in partnership with the University of Northern British Columbia, UBC Faculty of Medicine, Northern Medical Programs Trust, Interior Health, Island Health, and Rural Education Action Plan. To learn more about the provincial program, visit the Roadshow homepage.

Dr. Matthew Petrie has been appointed Regional Associate Dean pro tem, Interior, effective May 25, 2026 to May 24, 2027. Dr. Petrie is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and an emergency physician based at Kelowna General Hospital.

Dr. Petrie previously served as the inaugural Co-Director of Clinical Skills for the Southern Medical Program (SMP), helping to build the clinical skills program from the ground up. Over the years, he has served as a dedicated mentor to medical students and residents training in Kelowna, and has contributed extensively to curriculum development and implementation, as well as the renewal of the MD Undergraduate Program’s curriculum.

Dr. Petrie also leads multi-disciplinary medical education through numerous simulation and course education roles. As a co-lead with Real-Time Virtual Support at the Rural Coordination Centre of British Columbia, he is at the forefront of multidisciplinary innovation, connection, and virtual medical support and education of health care providers in rural, remote and Indigenous communities across B.C.

During his term as Regional Associate Dean pro tem, Interior, Dr. Petrie will provide continuity and sustained strategic oversight of the SMP and training programs throughout B.C.’s Interior. Working in partnership with Interior Health, and in collaboration with faculty, staff and learners in the region, Dr. Petrie will provide support and leadership to maintain excellence in the delivery and growth of medical education and innovation across the Interior.

Dr. Petrie’s appointment follows the leadership of Dr. Sarah McCorquodale, who will be stepping into a new role as interim Provincial Program Director with the Family Practice Residency Program. She will also serve as Special Advisor to the Regional Associate Dean pro tem, Interior. She will begin both of these roles on May 25, 2026, for a one-year term.

During her tenure as Regional Associate Dean, Interior, Dr. McCorquodale was instrumental in expanding the SMP and supported the expansion of residency training programs across the Interior. Her efforts strengthened the integration of distributed medical education and research throughout the region, particularly in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

The Southern Medical Program (SMP) based at UBC Okanagan and Interior Health (IH) are pleased to announce Dr. Aleks Tkach as the new Clinical Scientific Director, Research.  Working with the SMP and IH Corporate Director, Research and Evaluation, this new jointly-appointed position represents a commitment to work with academic and clinical partners in new ways to collaborate on clinical research priorities.

Dr. Tkach is a distinguished vascular neurologist and has been a transformative leader at Kelowna General Hospital and as the Medical Director for the Interior Health Stroke Network since 2019. Dr. Tkach will continue to support stroke care as part of the clinical network moving forward.

Dr. Tkach brings a unique perspective to this role, having seen firsthand how the rapid integration of research into clinical practice can save lives. His leadership in implementing AI-driven imaging and advanced EVT protocols has drastically accelerated care delivery, demonstrating that scientific innovation is not a theoretical exercise but a vital tool for immediate patient recovery.

A passionate advocate for rural health equity, Dr. Tkach is dedicated to expanding clinical trials beyond urban centers and involving patients and rural health partners in that process. He recognizes the critical need to support the development of high-level research across diverse communities within Interior Health, ensuring that geography is never a barrier for patients to accessing the latest medical advancements.

With extensive experience in clinical trials and neuro-imaging research, Dr. Tkach is poised to lead a new era of decentralized, patient-centered discovery that serves throughout the Interior Health region and beyond.

Dr. Emily Stewart has been appointed as the new Year 1 & 2 Site Director for the Southern Medical Program (SMP). Dr. Stewart is a Kelowna-based emergency physician and a Clinical Assistant Professor with the UBC Department of Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Stewart completed her medical degree at the University of Toronto, followed by emergency medicine residency training at UBC. Additionally, she has earned a Master of Health Administration from UBC and completed a Clinical Fellowship in Health Care Quality. As the Operations Lead for the Kelowna Emergency Physicians’ Association Executive Committee, Dr. Stewart helps lead quality and workflow projects in addition to governance renewal. Dr. Stewart is deeply passionate about teaching and supporting learning opportunities for medical students and residents in both clinical and didactic settings.

As the new Site Director, Dr. Stewart will lead the planning and implementation of Case-based Learning (CBL), lectures, workshops, and small group learning within the MEDD 411/412/421/422 courses. She will also work in close collaboration with provincial Course Directors, the UGME Associate Director of Curriculum, and administrative managers and staff.

Dr. Battsetseg (Tseegii) Batchuluun has been appointed the new Portfolio Lead for the Southern Medical Program (SMP). Dr. Batchuluun will continue to serve in her other SMP roles as Assistant Professor of Teaching and the Foundations of Scholarship and Flexible and Enhanced Learning Site Director.

Dr. Batchuluun completed her medical degree and internal medical residency with the National University of Medical Sciences in Mongolia. While practicing medicine in Japan, she earned her PhD from Kyushu University with a focus on cardiovascular complications of diabetes. Prior to joining the SMP in 2024, she has served as a postdoctoral research fellow and undergraduate course instructor at McMaster University. Since joining the SMP, she has served as an excellent advocate for students and medical education opportunities within the region.

In her new role, Dr. Batchuluun will provide leadership and general oversight of the SMP Portfolio program. She will also oversee the recruitment and training of Portfolio coaches and ensure the ongoing sustainability of the SMP Portfolio program.

MD Undergraduate Program (MDUP) Student Affairs is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mike Bergunder to the role of Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, Southern Medical Program (SMP) for a three-year term, until September 29, 2028.

Dr. Bergunder is Métis with ties to the Red River settlement. He grew up in the Lower Mainland, primarily on the territory of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation. He completed his medical degree at UBC Vancouver, a rural Family Medicine residency through the University of Alberta, and a fellowship in Emergency Medicine through UBC Vancouver at St. Paul’s Hospital.  His extensive experience in the SMP Undergraduate Medical Education Program (UGME), including as both the Year 1 and 2 Site Director and Portfolio Lead for SMP, provides him with a strong foundation for this role, as does his extensive experience developing and leading clinical learning opportunities for students.

He will continue to hold his appointment as the Clinical Education Lead, Indigenous Health, SMP, and also serves as Department Head at Penticton Regional Hospital, where he works as an Emergency Physician.

Dr. Bergunder has forged effective, collaborative relationships within the SMP and looks forward to supporting the diverse needs of students during their undergraduate medical education. He aims to provide students with support in various areas, including career planning, the principles of school/work-life balance, and CaRMS preparation.

Dr. Christopher West has been reappointed as the Assistant Dean, Research, Southern Medical Program (SMP) for a three-year term. Dr. West is an Investigator with the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management and an Associate Professor with the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences. He is also a member of the UBC ICORD (International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries Research Centre). Over the past year, Dr. West has helped lead the ongoing development of the Faculty of Medicine’s research portfolio across the Interior Health region.

Dr. West earned a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science at Essex University followed by a MSc and PhD in Exercise Physiology at Brunel University. He then completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) at UBC. Dr. West has previously been a Michael Smith Foundation Health Research Scholar and a Heart and Stroke National New Investigator who also served as an Assistant Professor with the UBC School of Kinesiology. Dr. West’s research explores the circuits controlling cardiovascular and autonomic function following spinal cord injury.

Dr. West will continue to oversee health research activities at UBC Okanagan and across the Interior Health region. He will collaborate with SMP faculty members to ensure the program’s strategic research direction aligns with the Faculty of Medicine. Dr. West will also work to ensure that the best research opportunities are identified and invested in for the local environment and community.