19-year-old respiratory therapy student Zeina Atwi.
QEII Foundation donors and the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) are working together to encourage further education and greater diversity in health care teams.
The Diversity in Health Care Bursaries were launched in 2015 by NSHA following the results of a workforce diversity survey completed in the Halifax and West Hants areas that flagged under-representation of marginalized groups as a key issue.
Since 2018, QEII Foundation donors have funded 33 student bursaries. The $1,000 bursaries are earmarked for students who are African Nova Scotian, Indigenous, immigrants, members of the LGBTQ2S+ community and/or persons with a disability.
With incredible support from donors across the Atlantic region who recognize the importance of education, the QEII is ensuring it reflects the many communities it serves. Education creates possibility and by investing in education and training, we attract and maintain the best healthcare professionals in the country and, often, the world.
Born in Lebanon, 19-year-old respiratory therapy student Zeina Atwi recognizes how a diverse workforce can inspire the next generation. With growing diversity in Halifax, opportunities like the Diversity in Health Care Bursary can give students the means and the encouragement to think of careers that they may not normally pursue.
“With growing diversity in Halifax, having an equally diverse healthcare staff is beneficial to patients in order to provide quality patient care and develop healthy rapport,” Zeina says. “Having staff that can communicate with patients in their mother language, or even understand their culture, is bound to positively impact the patient’s comfort and health outcomes.”
The QEII Foundation is proud to support the Diversity in Health Care Bursary, knowing that education is an investment in a stronger, more diverse healthcare workforce that better reflects the communities we serve.
To make a gift to the Diversity in Health Care Bursaries, click here to visit our donation page and identify the Diversity in Health Care Bursaries as your designated area.