Tuum Est! Spring Graduation 2024

Hometown: Calgary, AB
Program: Bachelor of Midwifery, Victoria

What attracted you to your field?

Prior to being accepted into the midwifery program, I was a doula supporting women during their pregnancies, birth and postpartum periods. The move from doula work to midwifery care was a natural next step to bring the birth process back to community. As an Indigenous person of mixed decent, I had always dreamt of a birth centre that would honour the spirit, the community and the ceremony of birth. It’s so important to nurture all of the souls in pregnancy – including that of the pregnant person and the souls that exist within them. Midwifery care emphasizes a holistic approach to childbirth and reproductive health. It involves developing strong, trusting relationships with clients and within the hospital systems in order to provide optimal care to birthing families. I see Indigenous midwifery as a key link to community healing and strength.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

My favourite moment at UBC occurred in second year when I travelled to Victoria, B.C. for in-person clinical skills training. Our cohort was impacted by the pandemic, so we weren’t able to meet one another in person until the second year.  So naturally, getting to meet our peers and experience school hands-on was a highlight during that time. I ended up rooming with two other students (Kim and Meredith) from my cohort for four weeks during clinical skills training and we had an amazing time. We studied, prepared food together, shared stories of life during COVID, swam in the ocean and became good supports for one another over the next three years of school. The UBC Midwifery program in Victoria will always hold a special place in my heart because that year I made lifelong friends.   

I also want to give a loud shout out to Evelyn George – UBC’s Midwifery Indigenous Advisor. She has been beyond supportive during my time at UBC. She went above and beyond to provide myself and other Indigenous students cultural midwifery knowledge through Indigenous curriculum additions, providing access to Elders, dedicated time with practicing Indigenous midwives, coordination of land-based activities and her overall nurturing support. I am profoundly grateful for her time, her presence and her caring knowledge. Indigenous midwifery is growing in part because of her dedication to supporting future Indigenous midwives who are bringing birth back to us, to our communities and to our nations. Siyisgaas Evelyn, I raise my hands to you.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Take some doula training and attend at least four to five births before applying to the program. The life of a doula — being on-call and getting paged in the middle of the night — is similar to life as a midwife. If you have not experienced some form of on-call life you will have a harder transition to the 24/7 life of a midwife. Doula work also prepares you for some of the signs of normal labour transitions.

What’s next for you?

I have accepted work with the Family Health Midwifery Clinic in Langley, B.C. and will be collaborating with a naturopathic midwife and her team. I am looking forward to being supported by this experienced group of midwives and enhancing my homebirth skills.

Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Program: Gastroenterology Fellowship Program, Vancouver

What attracted you to your field?

The gastrointestinal (GI) system is incredibly fascinating, made up of multiple organs from gum to bum helping us digest, absorb and defend. It works in conjunction with the enteric nervous system which has over 500 million neurons, coined the “second brain.” As you can imagine, when such an intricate system malfunctions, it can have a considerably negative impact on health. Thankfully, the field is ever-growing with advances in endoscopy, novel targets for drug development and the evolving role of the gut microbiome allowing more effective management of GI diseases. Helping patients manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life has been both intellectually stimulating and deeply rewarding.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

My residency started during the COVID-19 pandemic, so being on-call at the hospital as a resident amidst the daily uncertainties and constant influx of new information we were learning about the virus at the time were undoubtedly challenging. The loss of social support networks took it to a new level as patients were often alone in the hospital without their loved ones and frontline workers became the closest thing to family. Witnessing moments of true courage and humanity, both among patients and my colleagues, is something I will never forget.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Residency and fellowship are exciting times where you will encounter new experiences almost daily. However, it can be challenging transitioning to higher responsibilities and steeper learning curves while also making time for activities you enjoy outside of medicine. You may have periods where you stall, plateau or even doubt yourself. Through all of this, remember that learning is not linear. Focus on progress, not perfection. You aren’t alone in these challenges so don’t be afraid to ask for help – remember to be kind and be kind to yourself.

Tell us briefly about your research in layperson’s terms, and the impact you hope it will have?

Currently I’m investigating whether patients with cystic fibrosis have a higher chance of having celiac disease. Cystic fibrosis primarily affects the lungs but can also cause digestive health issues that mimic celiac disease. Undiagnosed celiac disease can put patients at a higher risk of malnutrition, poor quality of life and development of certain cancers. If the frequency of celiac disease in the cystic fibrosis population is found to be higher than that of the general population, it may hint at a connection between the two and also advocate for regular celiac disease screening in patients with cystic fibrosis.

What’s next for you?

More training! I’ll be doing another fellowship with a focus on gastrointestinal motility and disorders of the gut-brain interaction. GI motility issues are often chronic and debilitating with a significant impact on social functioning. Despite over 40 per cent of our population suffering from these disorders, there are less than a handful of motility specialists in our province leaving a large unmet need. I am eager to use new technology and a multi-disciplinary approach to help patients with motility disorders in our province.

Hometown: Surrey, BC
Program: Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Biomedical Engineering

What attracted you to your field?

As a toddler, I was a tiny menace ripping apart anything I could get my hands to figure out how it worked. In retrospect, this is where my interest in engineering started: an organic curiosity about our world. In grade school, I gravitated towards math and sciences as a means of understanding the complexities of life. However, despite these clear inclinations towards STEM, I did not discover my passion for biomedical engineering until a nasty knee injury landed me in the operating room when I was 17.

The minute I entered the hospital, my toddler-like mind was back — I wanted to understand how the MRI machines worked and how the metal bolts used in my surgery interfaced successfully with the human body. Rather than tearing apart their machines like my toddler-self would, I tore open some books. A few weeks of research had me amazed about the bridge between engineering and medicine. I was suddenly craving opportunities to work on devices like prosthetics, gene editing and brain-computer interfaces — a craving that was finally satiated by choosing to study biomedical engineering.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

Hands down, my favourite moment at UBC was leading UBC’s Biomedical Engineering Student Team (BEST). Since becoming co-captain in 2019, I have been committed to inspiring ambition and community among students in STEM. From co-founding UBC’s inaugural Biomedical Engineering Industry Night to mobilizing over 60 students to modify and donate toys to children with disabilities, my team has created a lasting impact.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Stop rejecting yourself: “I’m not qualified enough for this job.” “That person is way too busy to have a coffee chat with me.” “I shouldn’t bother emailing – they won’t reply to some random student.” Does this sound like something you’ve ever said to yourself? Well guess what, there is no way that you can know how someone else will react – that’s up to them. Don’t miss out on huge opportunities in your education, career or personal life because you’ve already made the rejection yourself. Be confident and send out those applications, coffee chat requests, emails, etc. Because the worst thing that happens is getting a “no,” and the best thing is getting one step closer to your dream!

Tell us briefly about your research in layperson’s terms, and the impact you hope it will have?

This past summer, I was privileged to receive the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s Undergraduate Student Research Award. This allowed me to intern as a research assistant in UBC’s Molecular Mechatronics Lab under the supervision of Dr. John Madden. My main focus was to fabricate soft, capacitive pressure sensors and integrate them into a robotic hand.

The ultimate goal was to enable the hand to mimic proprioception – your body’s ability to sense movement, action and location – and to differentiate between shear and normal forces exerted by various objects and autonomously adjust its grip to prevent dropping or crushing objects. My main role was to build a robotic arm entirely from scratch, engineered to faithfully replicate human movements.

What’s next for you?

I’m planning to take the summer off to travel to Italy with my mom. During this time, I’ll also dedicate myself to completing the novel I’ve been crafting over the past few years. Looking ahead, I’m considering pursuing either medical school or graduate studies — or perhaps both — once the summer comes to an end.

Hometown: Victoria, BC
Program: Island Medical Program
Residency: Emergency Medicine in Victoria

What attracted you to your field?

Healthcare always held a special place in my heart as I grew up watching medical dramas like ‘Scrubs’ with my family. Determined to discover if I truly wanted to work in healthcare, I first worked as an army medic with the Canadian Forces and later studied nursing. These experiences revealed how fulfilling it is for me to work with and care for others, particularly on what are often the worst days of people’s lives.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

These past four years have been a rollercoaster: From starting medical school at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and attending classes in-person to dispersing once again as we entered our clinical rotations. Our circumstances changed a lot, however the people – my peers, mentors and faculty – were always incredible with their kindness, support and ingenuity. We bonded over these shared experiences, and I will never forget the amazing virtual social events, camping trips, hikes and parties.

My fondest memory would have to be from our recent graduation celebration, organized by the Island Medical Program student council. After discovering hidden talents at an axe-throwing venue, we all celebrated at a local craft brewery and a mock awards ceremony was held. Each classmate was given an award that specifically referenced endearing traits and shared moments throughout medical school. That evening was truly magical as we reminisced over the past four years. I could not have asked for better classmates.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

First, put simply, you do you! Second, hold on to those hobbies, activities and social connections that bring you joy and will support you through hard times. It wasn’t until I found myself struggling that I appreciated both how easy it is to put off things that ‘fill my cup’ and how important it is to my emotional and physical health to make time for myself. Your future self will thank you for looking after and being gentle with your current self.

What’s next for you?

I am so incredibly excited to be starting an emergency medicine residency in Victoria! This will be a five-year program with the possibility for further training thereafter.

In the meantime, I have three goals before starting residency: Go on a road trip with my fiancé and our dog to explore more of B.C., enjoy lazy days in the sun and convince my dog to join me on the paddleboard, and complete the last of my knitting works-in-progress to clear the slate and be ready for a new year!

What are you looking forward to most about the program you’ve matched to and the community you’ll be joining as a future resident?

Having matched to emergency medicine in Victoria, I am thrilled to train in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment and explore the breadth and acuity of emergency medicine. I am so grateful for this opportunity.

I am also looking forward to staying with my family, friends and fiancé in Victoria. Having been raised here, I am privileged to continue working with and giving back to my community. I am also excited to join a close-knit group of residents and continue to learn from my senior residents and supervising physicians who I have worked with and learned from throughout my nursing and medical school training.

Hometown: Richmond Hill, ON
Program: Anesthesiology Residency Program, Vancouver

What attracted you to your field?

If you had asked me this question five years ago, I would have emphasized that the captivating blend of technical skill and deep physiological insight is what attracted me to anesthesiology. While those elements remain pivotal and fascinating to me, what resonates most profoundly now is the impact that we have on patients throughout their surgical experiences. In critical moments, we are entrusted with the task of not only managing a surgical anesthetic and leading physiological resuscitation, but also facilitating mobilization, bowel function and pain relief — all of which enhance the patient’s overall quality of life. Anesthesiology is a career filled with challenges, yet the rewards of positively impacting lives make it incredibly gratifying.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

I have cherished the opportunity to bond with my co-residents over these past five years. Whether it was discovering the stunning outdoors or indulging in delightful cuisine, my time in Vancouver has been a genuine pleasure.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

The practice of anesthesiology is truly an art form — a canvas where countless techniques can be woven together to administer safe and effective anesthesia. As you embark on this journey, embrace the opportunity to refine your skills and develop your own unique approach. Stay receptive to new ideas and use this time to expand your repertoire of techniques, enriching your toolkit for the benefit of your patients.

I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Laine Bosma and Dr. Zoe Brown, the former and current program directors of the residency program. Their dedication to understanding each resident and nurturing their personal and professional growth is truly commendable, and I am privileged to have benefited from their guidance and mentorship.

What’s next for you?

I am thrilled to be joining the anesthesiology team at Surrey Memorial Hospital. It is a culmination of years of dedicated training and I am eagerly looking forward to stepping into this new chapter and making a meaningful impact on patient care.

Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Program: Master of Science in Population and Public Health

What attracted you to your field?

The opportunity to gain hands-on research experience, paired with learning about important public health topics, is what really drew me to pursuing a MSc in Population and Public Health. I’ve always been interested in the study of physical and mental health and how health intersects in so many areas of research.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

There are several moments that come to mind, including connecting with classmates, exploring campus and lunches with lab members. However, if I were to distill it down to one thing, it was the overall feeling of community and support. I am very grateful for the wonderful fellow students and faculty who made my program so memorable.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Trust that you deserve to be here! Also, remember to challenge yourself. Some of my most notable growth stemmed from taking courses and extra curriculars outside of my comfort zone. Lastly, make friends and connect with faculty and staff — it is always nice to have a familiar face on campus. 

Tell us briefly about your research in layperson’s terms, and the impact you hope it will have?

Mental health and opioid use disorders often occur together and can share several causal factors. Over the last two decades, injectable opioid agonist treatment (iOAT) — an injectable treatment for opioid use disorder — has been offered, in restricted settings, as a treatment option in Canada. However, there is limited iOAT research examining factors associated with mental health. My thesis focused on exploring several factors and their association with depression and anxiety among individuals receiving iOAT. These findings add to the growing literature on opioid use disorder and mental health, and can be used to help inform personalized treatment plans within iOAT programs.

What’s next for you?

I have been fortunate to join the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis in Vancouver. And on a personal side, I hope to do some traveling and enjoy all the great activities this city has to offer. I’m looking forward to the next stage in my career and seeing where I go from here!

Hometown: Kamloops, BC
Program: Southern Medical Program
Residency: Family Medicine in Chilliwack

What attracted you to your field?

I was attracted to family medicine for the flexibility and broad scope of practice. The ability to work across emergency departments, hospital wards and health clinics is highly appealing to me and I think it keeps things exciting.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

Late nights with friends while on call. Putting in the work and having shared experiences really strengthens friendships. Many of my fondest memories are of having a brief rest late at night with some buddies and sharing laughs over vending machine snacks and ramen noodles. That camaraderie is something that I will remember forever.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Laughter is the best medicine, so have fun!

What’s next for you

I have some time off before residency, so in between relocating and finishing my pre-residency checklist, I’ll be backpacking across southeast Asia as well as white-water raft guiding!

Afterwards, I’ll be moving to Chilliwack to start my family medicine residency.

What are you looking forward to most about the program you’ve matched to and the community you’ll be joining as a future resident?

I’m very excited for Chilliwack’s longitudinal emergency medicine training, as I’m someone who learns well from hands-on experience and I know that the program excels in this area.

I’m also excited to move to Chilliwack because I’ve heard that they have good mountain biking and awesome white-water kayaking on the Chehalis and Chilliwack rivers!

Hometown: Dundas, ON
Program: Kelowna Rural Family Medicine

What attracted you to your field?

I’ve been interested in rural family medicine since before I entered medical school. I spent many summers with my grandparents in northern Ontario and really enjoyed the lifestyle and community they had built there. In particular, I really appreciated the relationship they had built with their own family physician who was truly a cornerstone of the small rural community they called home. Throughout medical school, my interest in rural medicine blossomed through mentorship and rural medicine rotations and I developed a greater interest in living and working in a small, underserved community. I love the relationship building, wide scope of practice and outdoors-focused lifestyle. Of course, the five-minute commute is also wonderful!

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

My favorite moments have been time spent with my amazing co-residents. I am incredibly lucky to have been surrounded by an amazing group of family docs-to-be. We have spent many moments laughing, debriefing patient cases and of course skiing and spending time together at our yearly retreat. I am so grateful to have made dear friends for life.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Soak it all in! Family medicine residency goes way too fast and before you know it, it will be over. There is so much learning and experience to be had, and many educators who are happy to help you access it. A little bit of keen interest goes a long way and will only help to make you a better resident and physician for your future patients.  

What’s next for you?

Next up is some holiday time! My partner and I will be hiking the West Coast Trail in July and then moving to Prince George where I’ll be completing the three-month Northern Emergency Education Program, which is a supplemental emergency medicine training program. Afterwards, I plan to locum for a couple of years as a family and emergency medicine physician in rural areas across the province before we eventually pick a rural location to settle in. Very excited for this next chapter!

Hometown: Surrey, BC
Program: PhD in Biomedical Engineering

What attracted you to your field?

My decision to start the program was driven by a combination of curiosity and perfect timing. Prior to enrolling, I earned my Master of Science degree and spent several years working as a research assistant. During that time, I was introduced to the promising field of cell replacement therapy and the significant challenges related to scaling up cell production. Intrigued, I wanted to delve deeper into the subject. Fortunately, I was in the right place at the right time, fully prepared to seize this opportunity.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

My favorite moments occur when I see the sparkles in my mentees’ eyes as they gain confidence in their abilities both inside and outside the lab. It brings me immense joy to know that I have played a role in helping them achieve their goals or discover new ones.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Find your village — a group of friends who rejoice, laugh, cry, challenge and empower you. While it’s possible to navigate this journey alone, having a supportive village by your side makes it all the better.

Tell us briefly about your research in layperson’s terms, and the impact you hope it will have?

Diabetes is a serious global health issue and one way to treat it involves transplanting islet cells — pancreatic cells that produce hormones, including insulin — from donors into people living with diabetes. However, there aren’t enough donors to meet demand. To address this, researchers have developed methods using human pluripotent stem cells, which can grow indefinitely and can become any cell in the body, to create islet-like cells. This method involves several steps and uses special containers and bioreactors to grow the cells. My research focused on understanding the ingredients and methods used to manufacture these cells.

Additionally, I worked on identifying challenges within the manufacturing process to ultimately enable the production of these cells in quantities sufficient to help the millions of people living with type 1 diabetes.

What’s next for you?

I’m thrilled to begin my career in the biotech industry. I’m also looking forward to traveling and enjoying some well-deserved rest.

Hometown: Markham, ON
Program: Master of Science in Genetic Counselling

What attracted you to your field?

The opportunity to apply my interest in genetics towards a patient-facing role with a variety of skills. I was intrigued by how genetic counsellors are able to explain complex concepts in simple terms, apply critical thinking skills to do “detective work” through risk assessments, and provide psychosocial support to people who are impacted by genetic conditions.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

My favourite moments at UBC are all the times I spent with my classmates, as they’ve been a great support system and are always fun to hang out with!

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

You will receive a lot of feedback from supervisors and are asked to self-reflect constantly, which can be challenging if you are pulled in different directions. Take the opportunity to absorb as much as you can from established genetic counsellors, while also remembering the unique traits and perspectives that you bring to the profession.

There will also be challenging moments and you may have moments of doubt. That’s O.K. because no grad school experience is ever perfect. Something I found to be helpful was thinking about how learning opportunities often come from these challenging moments. Remember, there will always be bumps along the way but don’t let that discourage you from the end goal.

Tell us briefly about your research in layperson’s terms, and the impact you hope it will have?

My research project focused on improving our understanding of family group appointments for genetic testing — where at-risk relatives attend a genetic counselling session together. Anecdotally, these family group appointments have been found to have positive outcomes in improving accessibility, efficiency and moral support for patients. And, we hope to inform effective practices for family group appointments for genetic counsellors who are interested in incorporating them into their clinic.

What’s next for you?

I’m excited to start working as a genetic counsellor. I’m also looking forward to enjoying the sunny weather in Vancouver and spending some much-needed time with family and friends.

Hometown: Nakusp, BC
Program: Indigenous Family Practice Residency Program

What attracted you to your field?

I knew I wanted to be a family doctor from day one of medical school. Being able to combine my love of science, advocacy and human connection is what makes family medicine the perfect specialty for me. I love the diversity of work I can do and the various places I am able to work. I especially love working with local Indigenous communities on their stolen lands and advocating for equity when it comes to Indigenous folks’ access to health.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

I truly enjoy rural medicine and I was able to do many rural electives during my two-year residency training thanks to the financial support of the Rural Education Action Plan. I spent two months in Inuvik, Northwest Territories and it was an incredible experience.

Inuvik is 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle and located on the traditional territories of the Inuvialuit, Gwich’in and Métis people. Everyone in the community was welcoming, kind and generous in their knowledge sharing and I was able to work with staff who were culturally safe, compassionate and caring. I was also able to visit some smaller communities for clinic visits including Aklavik, Tuktoyaktuk and Tsiigehtchic. If you have the opportunity to visit or work in the North, I highly recommend it!

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Residency is challenging so try to remember to give yourself grace as you move through this part of your training. Reach out to friends, co-residents, family and mentors when you need to — they are more than happy to support you and remind you that you are deserving of where you are today.

The Indigenous Family Practice Residency Program has an incredible program coordinator, Carlea Remodo. Carlea was always supportive of my learning and reminded me that it is equally important to take care of myself during residency training. Thank you for being my rock over the last two years! I also had the incredible privilege of having Dr. Cassandra Felske-Durksen as my program director for my first year of residency. I went through some challenging situations and she was always available to talk and supported me through those tough times.

What’s next for you?

I’m planning to locum for other physicians in the same communities where I completed my residency training, as well as take some much-needed time off to rest and travel.

Hometown: Burnaby, BC
Program: Vancouver Fraser Medical Program
Residency: Psychiatry Residency Program, Vancouver

What attracted you to your field?

Growing up as a girl guide and youth leader, I had countless opportunities to learn about the diversity of expressions of mental health, and it was during this time that I first considered a career in psychiatry. However, having been raised in an immigrant community, transparent and sincere conversations about mental health were scarce. I wanted to pursue a career in medicine so that I had the knowledge, tools and resources to reshape the cultural mold that surrounds psychiatric issues while also having ample opportunities to get involved with teaching, leadership and administration.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

Starting medical school online during the peak of the pandemic made me realize how much I cherish simple moments such as attending lectures in person, studying with classmates in the library and organizing social events for everyone to celebrate and enjoy. These experiences became some of my favorite and most memorable over the last four years.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Spend your days doing the things you love while seeking out opportunities to enhance your communication, collaboration, leadership and cultural-safety skills. Those who are kind, compassionate, genuine, flexible, curious and humble will make the largest and most positive impacts in the field of medicine.

What’s next for you?

I am excited to start my residency program in the UBC Psychiatry Vancouver program and to continue giving back to the community as a mentor, teacher and psychiatrist.

What are you looking forward to most about the program you’ve matched to and the community you’ll be joining as a future resident?

I am most looking forward to working alongside incredible co-residents and mentors to develop my technical and interpersonal skills as a clinician. Our diverse Vancouver community offers a wealth of unique stories, histories and cultural perspectives, serving as invaluable sources of learning.

Hometown: Surrey, BC
Program: Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science

What attracted you to your field?

The opportunity to learn how the body works, what goes wrong to cause disease and how to effectively test for illnesses drove me to pursue a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science degree. I was drawn to the idea of delving into the complexities of human pathology, histology, clinical chemistry, molecular biology and more, all within a single program. Additionally, the tight-knit community of students and instructors made this program the perfect fit for me! 

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

Some of my favourite moments at UBC were the quick visits to Rain or Shine Ice Cream. Trying out seasonal flavours with my friends after a busy day of classes was a big highlight from my time at UBC. Plus, it made the 90-minute commute back home much better! 

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Do not be afraid to seek guidance and support from your instructors and fellow students. Collaboration and communication are key to success in this program. 

Tell us briefly about your research in layperson’s terms, and the impact you hope it will have?

Over the past few months, I investigated different Opal fluorescent dyes at the Molecular and Advanced Pathology Core. These dyes were compared and characterized based on their efficacy, measured through factors like intensity and bleed-through, which happens when fluorescent dyes from one area of tissue are also seen in another area during fluorescence imaging. This research aims to enhance the development and optimization of multiplex immunofluorescence assays, a technology widely used in tissue pathology to detect multiple biomarkers in a single tissue section all at once. This can aid in diagnosing certain diseases like cancer, understanding disease progression and developing targeted treatment strategies.

What’s next for you?

This year, I am committed to advancing my health advocacy work with the Youth Health Literacy Network in Surrey, B.C. I will also be applying to graduate and professional programs, aspiring to become a proficient and compassionate contributor to the field of healthcare. 

Hometown: Fort St. John, BC
Program: Northern Medical Program
Residency: Rural Family Medicine in Fort St. John

What attracted you to your field?

I was raised in the rural community of Fort St. John in northern B.C., where consistent access to healthcare was a significant challenge. The turning point in my life came when my family was connected to a compassionate and empathetic family doctor. His impact propelled me to choose a career in family medicine, with a specific intent to serve rural and remote communities in our province who face inequitable access to health care.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

Among the many enriching experiences at UBC, the one that stands out the most was joining my partner Kim, who is also a graduate of the Northern Medical Program (NMP), for an elective in Haida Gwaii. We were deeply touched by the community’s hospitality and the opportunity to contribute to the opening of the new Skidegate Health Centre. The ingenuity and dedication of the medical professionals there left a lasting impression, and I can’t wait to return to this vibrant community soon.

I want to give special thanks to the Chilliwack Integrated Community Clerkship program director, Dr. Scott Bakker, and the program coordinator, Trudy Sargent, for supporting my path. I also want to thank the entire medical community at the Hope Medical Centre for mentoring and inspiring me to pursue a career in rural family medicine and to become a future rural clinical educator.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Be true to yourself. Studying medicine can be tough and sometimes you’ll feel worn out. Remember the root reasons why you wanted to do this in the first place – and keep those at the forefront throughout your medical school journey. You got into this program because of your unique story, so hold on to that, especially when things get difficult.

What’s next for you?

While I’ll miss my friends from the NMP, I’m very excited and grateful to be returning to my hometown of Fort St. John for my residency in rural family medicine. It really is a full circle moment!

What are you looking forward to most about the program you’ve matched to and the community you’ll be joining as a future resident?

I’m looking forward to the opportunity and privilege to work and train as a family medicine resident in the community I grew up in. I’m eager to learn from the phenomenal rural clinicians of northern B.C. and give back to the community that raised me and supported me throughout my journey to become a family doctor.

Program: General Surgery Residency Program, Vancouver

What attracted you to your field?

General Surgery is a high-intensity field that offers physiological and pathological breadth, and where technical skills are closely balanced with medical knowledge and judgment. It is very rewarding to directly impact patient care in different settings, whether it is acute care in the trauma bay or in an elective setting with a scheduled surgery.

I love the multidisciplinary nature of our field and our exposure to several sub-specialties. The very nature of modern surgical practice requires that surgeons remain in a perpetual state of learning, continually adapting to evolving evidence and new techniques. The variety that general surgery offers keeps me excited to come to work every day and work with my team.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

I really enjoyed traveling around British Columbia during my community rotations as well as exploring different exercise studios, restaurants and coffee shops with my co-residents and supervisors. One of my favorite memories is the week I spent with my co-chief residents in Tofino for our general surgery Royal College exam review course.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Trust your struggle during residency. Surgical residency can be very challenging at times, but with the struggle comes reward. It is a privilege to learn how to operate on and take care of patients to make a difference in their lives.

Tell us briefly about your research in layperson’s terms, and the impact you hope it will have?

I am interested in clinical research and have completed several projects including evaluating surgical margins in pancreas tail cancer, oncological safety of nipple-sparing mastectomies in the surgical treatment of breast cancer and improving the management of complex colorectal polyps.

Beyond these clinical outcome studies, my research interests extend more broadly to health systems. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I studied how one breast center in Vancouver adapted to the ongoing healthcare changes by performing more cases under regional anesthesia — numbing only the area of the body that requires surgery. This improved the operating room efficiency, which augmented its capacity in dealing with clinical demand, and the center has continued this practice beyond the pandemic. I hope to continue being involved in research that directly impacts patient care.

What’s next for you?

I am pursuing a Hepatopancreaticobiliary and Abdominal Transplant fellowship at the University of Toronto following my general surgery residency to further specialize in complex surgeries performed to treat cancer and diseases of the gastrointestinal system. I hope to return to British Columbia to practice upon completion of my fellowship.