If you are a potential sponsor, please take some time to learn more about the PIE Initiative and how to become a partner in excellence with the medical students at the University of Western Ontario.

The Partners in Excellence (PIE) initiative was created by the 2002-2003 Hippocratic Council in the spring of 2003 and officially launched in July of that year. It is a new financial vision, endeavouring to strengthen the ties between Hippo and its major sponsors, and facilitate increased funding and support for the extra-curricular activities of the medical students at UWO.

PIE differs from previous sponsorship arrangements as it creates a system whereby sponsors make financial contributions to the Council in one lump sum at the beginning of the academic year. These funds are targeted towards specific Hippo programs, and our partners become recognized sponsors of these events. Recognition is received via corporate logos on event paraphernalia (e.g. orientation week T-shirts), opportunities to interact with medical students at events, recognition on the uwomeds.com website and via appreciation certificates which can be posted at corporate locations. This funding is renewable on an annual basis at the discretion of the sponsors.

Previous funding arrangements have had multiple student organizations and groups approaching sponsors multiple times throughout the year for funding. This structure was often confusing, resulting in poor communication between students and sponsors and poor allocation of funding throughout the year. The PIE initiative formalizes the process by which our major sponsors are approached for funding, offering a permanent contact for partners and a pre-set event program.

For one calendar year, PIE members contribute $3,500 for sponsorship in the following programs:

(1) Tachycardia: The medical school’s annual famous comedy-talent show. The show opens for a three-night run in April each year (exact dates to be announced). Sponsors have full page ads in the Tachycardia program and the opportunity to open booths in the lobby area of the show. Approx. 1,000 people view Tachycardia over the three performances every year.

(2) Graduation Formal and Yearbook: A portion of the funds goes to the graduating class formal. Sponsors will be offered advertising space in the graduation yearbook, reflecting the past four years of our graduating class.

(3) International Health Bursaries: Partners will have international health/travel bursaries created in their names. The External Funding Committee of the Hippocratic Council shall award bursaries to medical students planning to complete humanitarian work abroad or pursuing research internationally. For more information please read about the EFC program under the students’ section.

(4) Orientation Week: This is a week long function beginning with the white coat ceremony at the end of August, introducing 133 first year medical students to London and the medical school community. Sponsors have the opportunity to place corporate information in Orientation Week Packages, and interact with students at an event of their choice during the week. Corporate logos are also placed on O-week paraphernalia.