Our very own Woman of Distinction!
At the YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Awards held on June 3, our very own Dr. Vicki Bernstein was honoured in the category of Health & Wellness. Nominated by our VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, Dr. Bernstein is a true pioneer who has helped to redefine the roles women play in specialized medicine.
Vicki came here from South Africa in 1966 with a dream to practice medicine and be the best in her field. And a tough field it was, being exclusively male. Vicki persevered and joined the staff of Vancouver General Hospital in 1974, where she went on to become the only female cardiologist for more than three decades.
Putting female cardiologists on the map – and blazing the trail for others to follow in her footsteps – is just one of the many things that keeps Vicki motivated. Even now, reminiscing and laughing, she says that one of the happiest days of her life was being recognized as both a woman and a medical specialist, when at a department meeting at VGH – after more than a decade in her field – the department head finally said: “Welcome Dr. Bernstein and gentlemen!”
Congratulations Dr. Bernstein on your well-deserved award.
Steve Gabbott Perfusion Dept
Congratulations Vicki!
On a distinguished career. A well deserved award. Here’s to a lady who always has a smile and a hello!
Cheers,
Steve Gabbott
Perfusion
Miriam Scott
Congratulations Dr. Bernstein! You truly deserve this award! I always admired your amazing skills in the CCU; your great bedside manner, your ability to assess a patient so accurately with just your stethoscope and infinite knowledge, to be able to perform all those procedures in the CCU while wearing the very best of fashions and high heels. I feel honoured to have worked with you. Your have been a true pioneer for women and for medicine.
Miriam
Cheryl Chan
Congratulation Dr Bernstein! A truly well deserved award! I had the opportunity to work with you in CCU, I loved your honest and pragmatic way!
Judy Tobias
Well done Dr. Bernstein! I first met you when I was a student nurse …. and we always knew you were on the way when we heard your heels clicking down the corridor. You were then my husband’s cardiologist and friend. And you know how much Juan adored women and how proud he would be of you. Congratulations!
Judy
Karen LeBeau
Congratulations Dr Bernstein! A well deserved title and honour.
You have done amazing work in your life time, not only for the field of cardiology, but as an example to women wanting to enter medicine and/or careers that were once only in the realm of ‘mens work’.
Thanks to you and other strong women like yourself young females are now able to choose any career path and work hard to realize any dream they have!
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