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$1.57M in tuition relief awarded to New Brunswick's future healthcare workforce
The New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation Inc. (NBMEF) hosted its 17th annual Scholarship Gala on October 13, 2026 in Saint John.
"Financial support in medical school is about so much more than tuition for me. It provides stability. I spend less time worrying... and more time focusing on my education, my children, and ultimately becoming the kind of physician I hope to be."
Tanisha Sacobie-Gruben, featured student speaker.
Celebrating 183 future physicians and allied health professionals who received scholarships in 2026, the event brought together recipients, scholarship donors, healthcare leaders and community leaders.
Hundreds attended the event in-person, and thousands more viewed the online stream. You can access the full ceremony by clicking the arrow below, or continue scrolling to see event highlights and our full photo gallery.
On behalf of our team at the NBMEF, we thank everyone who attended and made the evening possible, including:
The donors and sponsors who believe in our mission.
The students for their commitment to New Brunswick and its communities.
All speakers, presenters and performers for making the celebration truly memorable.
Representatives and partners within New Brunswick's healthcare system.
Foundation directors and volunteers, particularly members of its Grants Committee.
And many, many more!
Watch the full ceremony video here:
Listen to the livestream's exclusive Acadia Broadcasting Pre-Show:
A Major Milestone: Marking 1,000 Scholarships Awarded
With $1.57M awarded to 183 students, 2026 represents a record scholarship year for the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation. Since 2022, its annual giving capacity has more than tripled.
The organization also surpassed 1,000 scholarships awarded since 2010. Since each scholarship carries a return-of-service commitment, this represents more than 1,000 years of service committed to the province through the Foundation's scholarship program.
For the first time, the event also prominently featured recruitment teams from Horizon Health Network, Réseau de santé Vitalité, and CFB Gagetown's Health Services Centre. This exposure helps ensure students are more aware of professional pathways and key contacts early in their training, helping build stronger connections to professional pathways and key recruitment contacts early in their training.
For more details, see our 2026 Impact Report.
Special Guests & Incredible Speakers
Jennifer Peck, a Senior Physician Recruitment Consultant with the Department of Health, served as the evening's emcee. She remains the only known New Brunswick event presider to present entirely in verse.
Opening remarks were delivered by The Honourable Alyson Townsend, Minister of Labour, Heritage and Culture; and the Co-Chairs of the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation's Board of Directors, Ms. Dorothy Shephard and Dr. Bob Fisher.
See video excerpts from each speaker below:
Hon. Alyson Townsend, Minister of Labour
Dorothy Shephard & Dr. Bob Fisher, Co-Chairs of the NBMEF Board of Directors
In a new format aimed at increasing mentorship and networking, proud program alumni of the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation presented recipients with their awards. This year's award presenters included:
Dr. Sara Davidson
A Fredericton-based family physician and addiction medicine specialist whose work focuses on improving access to care for people experiencing substance use, homelessness, and other barriers to health.
Dr. Sam Palmer
Having recently completed a residency in Family Medicine, Dr. Palmer is practising at a newly announced collaborative care clinic in Hampton. He is the first former scholarship recipient and program alumnus to serve on the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Dr. Robert Hanlon
A family physician in Saint John working in primary care, occupational health, and long-term care, who is passionate about practical evidence-based healthcare, career development, and building a meaningful, sustainable life both inside and outside of medicine.
The evening's two featured student speakers delivered remarks that highlighted individual experiences, aspirations and challenges faced in both life and on the path to becoming physicians. Inspirational and deeply human, each speech resonated with attendees.
See each speech in full here:
Antoine Poitras, Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick
Tanisha Sacobie-Gruben, Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick
Alyssa Long, Executive Director of the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation, delivered closing remarks on behalf of the organization.
Providing an overview of the 2026 recipient cohort and accomplishments, she also called for early engagement, recruitment and community support for the next generation of healthcare professionals.
See her full remarks here:
Alyssa Long, Executive Director of the NBMEF
A Harmonious Partnership
The event closed with a surprise performance from the strings section of the Saint John Youth Orchestra, introduced by New Brunswick Youth Orchestra alumni and 2026 scholarship recipient, Elise Ould-Kaci.
The New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation has established a multi-year partnership with the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra. This partnership reflects that many medical students who receive scholarships are accomplished musicians, the natural connection between music and healing, and the incredible impact the Sistema NB program has on New Brunswick's youth.
Watch the full performance here:
Elise Ould-Kaci, Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick
Saint John Youth Orchestra, Strings Section
We Gratefully Acknowledge
In addition, attendees enjoyed a beautiful venue and food courtesy of Delta Hotels Saint John. Audio-visual, simultaneous translation and live streaming support was provided by Encore, while SPUR Your Imagination provided event décor.
The New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation's scholarship program would not be possible without its dedicated Grants Committee and the volunteers who dedicate hundreds of hours to reviewing and evaluating applications and matching students to awards. We extend a heartfelt thank you to: Nora Kelly (Committee Chair), Mike Doyle, and Dr. Robert MacKinnon.
And finally, we thank the Board of Directors, staff and volunteers of the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation, whose combined efforts made this event possible and continue to advance our mission to increase access to healthcare for all New Brunswickers.
📸 To view and save photos from the event, explore our gallery by James Walsh Photography:
To learn more about this event, or to reach our team, please email info@nbmeded.ca.
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