Medical resident Chantelle Bowden, '16 MD/MBA (right), remembers sitting at the kitchen table every month as her mom, a single parent, explained their tight finances. Cathy Bullock (left) was also raised to manage her money wisely. Born in New York City to Italian immigrants, she worked summers in canneries and vacation resorts to help pay for university. The pair share a strong work ethic and belief that debt is a scourge. So it was natural that a desire on the part of Cathy and her husband, Michael, to free young students from debt brought these two women together.
Chantelle received the Dr. Michael & Catherine Bullock Award, which provided financial support for her entire four years of medical school. She values the relationship she developed with her scholarship donors Cathy and Michael Bullock. Though Michael, '60 MD, passed away in 2015 at age 90, Chantelle still sees Cathy. The two are pictured in Saratoga, Calif., where Cathy lives.
"Chantelle's a go-getter," said donor Cathy Bullock. It was Chantelle's work ethic that made her stand out. She was one of the first students to enrol in UAlberta's joint MD/MBA program. The Bullocks, who didn't have children, saw the UAlberta award as an opportunity to leave a legacy and help hard-working students.
Chantelle is pursuing post-graduate training in psychiatry at UAlberta and plans to run her own clinic. "When I was in Grade 5, my parents were going through a messy divorce. It was stressful. I realized that you can't run away from problems-you have to develop coping skills. I like the idea of helping others learn this."
Chantelle is giving back by mentoring two first-year medical students who are susceptible to mental health issues. The students shadow her once a month and learn coping techniques while working on the ward. "Med students have a ton of anxiety. It can feel catastrophic to make a mistake. As a mentor I can help put it in perspective, tell them that it's going to be all right."