Program: Southern Medical Program
Year in Program: 1
I’ve always been interested in science and medicine, and like the idea of a career where I can problem solve and work with others. However, I was inspired to become a doctor from a positive experience I had with a surgeon. When I was younger, family illness was something I was largely unfamiliar with and my mom needed surgery. Her surgeon was able to put my family and I at ease and instill confidence in us by explaining the procedure in simple terms. This experience made me want to be able to help others in the same way.
I am incredibly excited about pretty much everything, ranging from new friends to the curriculum, but I would have to say I am most excited to learn the essential hands-on skills! COVID-19 has made this more challenging, but I am very confident that we will find ways to work around it.
This is definitely a challenging time for everyone, and requires quite a bit of adaptation. I feel that, because of the risks the pandemic poses to our physical health, it has become easier to forget about our mental health. I’ve tried to take care of myself by getting outdoors in socially-responsible ways which, in my opinion, has greatly helped both my mental and physical well-being.
My favourite physically-distanced social activity would have to be whitewater kayaking, which needed to be adjusted a fair bit since the pandemic. Now, I’m able to whitewater kayak while minimizing exposure to my fellow paddlers, which has been great!