UBC Faculty of Medicine medical student Rahnuma Sara has been awarded a 2025 Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Award for leadership and innovation.
The awards recognize medical students across Canada who have demonstrated outstanding community leadership, superior communication skills and a strong commitment to advancing medical knowledge.
Rahnuma, who is originally from Bangladesh, earned her undergraduate degree with Distinction from the UBC Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Before medical school, she was deeply engaged in community and clinical work, serving as a general surgery research coordinator at Vancouver General Hospital, a crisis line call-taker and working in harm reduction clinics in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Since starting in UBC’s MD Undergraduate Program, Rahnuma has demonstrated a strong commitment to advocacy and leadership. She served as Vice-President Academic on her Class Council and as the National Officer of Education – Advocacy for the Canadian Federation of Medical Students. She is passionate about promoting equity in healthcare and medical education. Currently, she is Vice-President Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for UBC’s Medical Undergraduate Society working to improve representation and equity in medical training.
“It is a profound honour to be recognized by the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame with this award,” Rahnuma said. “I am deeply grateful to my exceptional mentors, colleagues and family. Their unwavering support, guidance and belief in me have not only inspired my journey, but also strengthened my passion to serve and contribute to the medical community.”
In recognition of her leadership and character, Rahnuma received the Gwynne-Vaughan Memorial Award in Medicine from UBC. Her research focuses on barriers to liver transplants in B.C., infertility among Canadian anesthesiologists and causes of recurrent pregnancy loss. Looking ahead, Rahnuma hopes to help improve the future of equity in medicine and beyond.
“As I move forward in my training and career, I aspire to continue using my voice and experiences to make Canadian health care and medical education more welcoming, equitable and empowering for all of us with differences,” Rahnuma added. “Which is all of us.”
CMHF award recipients each receive $5,000 and a travel subsidy to attend the 2026 CMHF Induction Ceremony in Calgary, Alberta where they will have the opportunity to network with the newly-inducted CMHF Laureates.
Learn more about the 2025 CMHF Award recipients on the CMHF website.