On January 21, 2010, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) received a $16,000 cheque on behalf of participants in the Essar Steel Algoma Hockey Tournament to support the Bring a Doctor Home Bursary. Tournament organizing officials, including Director, Hal Mogg, presented the donation to Gail Brescia, NOSM Advancement Manager, and Dr. Greg Ross, Associate Dean of Research, during an appreciation dinner held in Sault Ste. Marie at the Algoma Water Tower Inn.

This contribution provides financial assistance to NOSM students wishing to pursue their medical education in the North.

In 2006, employees and retirees from Essar Steel Algoma Inc. established the Bring a Doctor Home Bursary, which continues to grow with proceeds raised each year by tournament players in support of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Twenty-one teams from various departments, including three teams of retirees, participate in four divisions.

During the presentation following the appreciation dinner, Dr. Greg Ross applauded tournament participants and supporters for their ongoing generosity.

"Contributions to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine Bursary Fund are long-term investments in better health care for the people and communities of Northern Ontario. We are very thankful to the participants of the Essar Steel Algoma Hockey Tournament for this donation and their continued commitment to supporting students hailing from the North who wish to pursue their medical education in the North," he said.

To date, tournament participants have collected over $60,000 in donations to support NOSM’s learners. Contributions from the Bring a Doctor Home Bursary are generously matched dollar-for-dollar by the Ontario Government through the Ontario Trust for Student Support program.

Tournament Director, Hal Mogg noted that both tournament hockey players and contributors recognize the financial costs associated with medical education. "The Bring a Doctor Home Bursary helps students reduce costs associated with earning a medical degree and, hopefully, encourages those hailing from Northern Ontario who are interested in a medical career to fulfill their dreams," said Mogg. "We believe this investment will also assist Sault Ste. Marie with long-term recruitment of family physicians to Northern Ontario," he continued.

The Bring a Doctor Home Bursary will continue to grow with each successive year that the tournament raises donations.