Dr. John Rushforth Scholarship

To award a scholarship to a student with a particular interest in geriatric medicine.

The scholarship has been established from a bequest from the estate of the General Harry F.G. Letson who died on April 11, 1992. This legacy is to commemorate Dr. Rushforth's service and devotion to the medical profession and to General Letson. Dr. Rushforth was born in Simla, India in 1919 to missionary parents. He grew up in Scotland and attended medical school at the University of St. Andrews. His education was interrupted by the 2nd World War. He received the Military Cross for his actions as a Royal Marine Commando during the D-Day landing in Normandy. After resuming medical school, he worked for the Grenfell Mission in Newfoundland - an experience which shaped his career and led him to return to Canada. He practiced family medicine in Ottawa for more than 40 years. He had a traditional family practice that included patients of all ages, many housecalls, and a deep interest in the "whole person" long before it was fashionable. He was highly regarded by his colleagues and his patients, and his warmth and understanding were valued by all who knew him. He took tremendous pleasure in the stories shared during house calls, many of them for the housebound elderly. Dr. Rushforth was pleased to be able to help medical students who had an interest in geriatrics and family medicine, through the generous bequest in his honour by General Letson.