From powerplays to pre-clinicals: former Giants and Pats forward Holt balancing medical school with Huskies hockey

Saskatoon, Sask.- Dawson Holt knows a thing or two about the importance of practice.

The former Vancouver Giants and Regina Pats standout has reached the WHL Championship Series, captured a Canada West Championship with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, and claimed a U SPORTS University Cup bronze medal.

But as the Saskatoon product prepares for his final playoff run with the Huskies, he’s also focused on a different kind of practice.

Medical practice.

Holt is in his second year of medical school at the University of Saskatchewan, having already completed an undergrad in accounting.

“I kind of always had it lingering in the back of my mind, like after high school and through junior,” Holt said. “I was in the Edwards School of Business here at the U of S, and I was enjoying it, but I was like, ‘I don’t know if this is exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life’… I thought, ‘Okay, I’m just gonna commit to it’. I can at least give it a try, because I think I would regret it in the end if I didn’t, and I was fortunate enough to get in- which I’m super grateful for.”

When he isn’t logging heavy minutes on the ice for the East Division-leading Huskies, the four-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian is usually deep in study- he’s even taken an exam from a hotel on a team roadtrip under the watchful eye of a proctor.

“The most impressive aspect of Dawson’s continued success is the fact that he has been able to maintain his dominant play on the ice while excelling in the classroom as a second-year medical student at USask,” Huskies Head Coach Brandin Cote told Canada West.

While he hasn’t decided whether to specialize in a certain area of medicine, Holt is currently working on his neurology and nephrology units.

“The actual patient-facing stuff I enjoy the most,” he added. “Our opportunity to learn in school is obviously something that’s crucial to building that foundation for working in the future. But when we do have opportunities to be in hospital, to be in clinics, I think those are the moments that are more impactful for me, because you feel like you’re actually doing something rather than just like studying and learning from PowerPoint slides. You’re actually trying to help this person make a difference in their life.”

Holt has been commended for balancing a demanding program with a demanding sport while excelling in both areas.

He was named an alternate captain for the Huskies for his final season of eligibility and does his best to translate skills from the rink to the hospital.

“For me, it’s a huge benefit- I feel comfortable speaking out on a team,” Holt explained. “The way healthcare is now, a lot of it is team-based. So you’re working alongside other doctors, physios, occupational therapists, nurses. There’s a wide range of people that you’re working with. So I think being able to have effective communication and to kind of handle conflicts in a team setting is something that, definitely, hockey has helped prepare me for.”

Holt is fresh off earning WHL Grad of the Month honours after another banner outing with the Dogs.

He’s put up 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points in 26 games, including back-to-back goals with wins over the University of Calgary Dinos on the weekend to clinch a home playoff game and keep Saskatchewan (19-5-2) in the running for a first-round bye.

“This is going to be my last year, so I think that’s a big thing,” Holt said. “Just the way last year went, winning Canada West and then finishing third at nationals, I think it was a little bit of a bittersweet feeling, and definitely has provided some motivation to try to get back to that place and hopefully have a chance to win that tournament.”

It’s been more than 10 years since Holt made his WHL debut with the Vancouver Giants, who selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2014 WHL Prospects Draft.

He went on to put up 79 points (25G-54A) in 208 regular-season games with the G-Men and Regina Pats.

Holt was also a key part of the Giants squad that reached the 2019 WHL Championship Series, where the Prince Albert Raiders ultimately prevailed in overtime in Game 7.

Now 27 years old, Holt is grateful for the memories and opportunities hockey has provided him.

But he’s still hungry for more as the Huskies enter their final week of the regular season- and a chance at a national championship would be just what the doctor ordered.