Top of his class

New graduate Dr. Andrew Harding is the first to admit the road to his M.D. was neither smooth, nor easy. 

This year’s recipient of the C.B. Stewart Gold Medal in Medicine, awarded to the graduate with the highest academic standing, Dr. Harding credits his success to more than discipline and hard work.

“I really benefited from having an outstanding support network with my partner, family, and friends,” he says. “They helped me stay focused and maintain perspective during challenging periods of my training.”

Originally from Calgary, he made Nova Scotia home as a teenager and went on to complete his undergraduate degree in nursing at Dalhousie, an experience that continues to shape how he approaches patient care.

“Nursing gave me a strong appreciation for patient advocacy, communication, and team-based care,” he says. “It also sparked my interest in clinical decision-making and made me want to build on that foundation and contribute to patient care in a different way through medicine.” 

From classroom to care

Dr. Harding says his most meaningful medical school moments came during clerkship, where classroom learning met real patient care. 

“Being able to connect with patients and provide comfort during vulnerable moments made the learning feel much more meaningful and reinforced why I wanted to pursue medicine in the first place,” he says.  

During this time Dr. Harding was also part of the community outreach program, ReFix, the only overdose prevention site in the city. Here he worked with individuals who used substances and was able to learn how to support and collaborate with them in a healthcare setting; something he says was incredibly fulfilling. 

“Working with a stigmatized population while spreading awareness of their needs and the resources available to them to other healthcare providers was very rewarding.”

His path to anesthesia

Come July, Dr. Harding will begin residency in anesthesiology here at Dalhousie. He is drawn to the specialty’s blend of technical skill, teamwork, and patient connection. At its core, he says, it’s about supporting patients and families through some of their most uncertain moments, something that has remained central to his approach since his earliest days in nursing.

Though his clerkship rotations ultimately allowed him to land on anesthesia as his specialty, he also credits his mentors for guiding him to that choice.

“From my first year of medical school until applying to CaRMS, I met some incredible anesthesia staff at Dalhousie and in rural Nova Scotia who supported and encouraged me to pursue anesthesia.”

Looking ahead

As he looks ahead, he is energized by the new scope of practice and responsibilities that come with residency training, and the opportunity to grow as a physician. His commitment to patient care, however, remains the same. 

“I really hope to make an impact through compassionate patient care while supporting patients and families through vulnerable moments,” he says.

At the same time, Dr. Harding is quick to reflect on how much Dalhousie Medicine has shaped him, far beyond the classroom.

“Reflecting on my medical school journey, it was a very challenging experience,” he says. “Not only was there a lot to learn, but my experiences helped me develop both personally and professionally. Medical school offers many life lessons, and I look forward to continuing to learn and develop in residency.” 

For Dr. Harding, the C.B. Stewart Medal is not just a recognition of academic excellence—it’s a reflection of the community that supported him along the way, and the values he’ll carry forward into his career as a physician.