Thirty-one students graduated from the Island Medical Program this year. We spoke to five new MDs from the Class of 2022 about their medical school experiences, where they’re headed next, and what advice they’d give to future students.
Sarah Douglas
Hometown: London, ON, Oneida Nation of the Thames
What’s next: Emergency Medicine residency in Victoria
What attracted you to your field?
I found my people when I worked in the emergency department (ED). The staff and residents’ leadership and personalities aligned with the vision I have for myself. I was excited to go to shift every time – even in the middle of the night. I played competitive team sports all my life and found the ED to resemble the high-pace team environment that I love being a part of. Lastly, I find the opportunity to be there for someone, often the most vulnerable members of our society, in a very scary and pressured time an incredibly rewarding experience.
What is your favourite moment from your time at the IMP/UBC?
My favorite moments are as simple as bonding and talking during a call-shift or lunch breaks with my classmates in the student lounges. Being an IMP student gave me a strong sense of comradery with my colleagues and I was fortunate to find friends that could laugh with me at all hours of the night.
What is one piece of advice you have for students entering the IMP?
Don’t be afraid to start your own club or initiative. I found, the staff and faculty were more than eager to engage and help me grow projects or programs. If you have an idea, find some other peers who share like-minded interests and run with it!
What’s next for you?
I feel so lucky to be staying in Victoria and training in the Emergency Medicine residency program. Outside of medicine, my plans will be to continue staying active in the gym, playing intramural and rec soccer, going on random camping/ski trips, and bonding with my co-residents.
Dib Gill
Hometown: Abbotsford, BC
What’s next: Psychiatry residency in Prince George
What attracted you to your field?
I’m drawn to Psychiatry due to the biopsychosocial aspects of practice that emphasize a truly holistic approach to medicine and having the chance to intimately understand my patient and direct treatments based on that. I really fell in love with how my clinical instructors targeted the psychiatric concerns of a patient while also providing resources and therapy for all the other challenges that arise due to mental health illnesses.
What is your favourite moment from your time at the IMP/UBC?
I’ve had the privilege of creating an incredible number of fond memories while at UBC, but the first one that comes to mind is the degree of comradery I felt even when we first transitioned to the Island. My colleagues would go to the kitchenette just outside the lecture theatre during our 10-minute breaks to socialize, brew large batches of coffee for everyone, and to find support from an incredible group of people.
What is one piece of advice you have for students entering the IMP?
The biggest piece of advice I can give is to recognize that medical school shouldn’t be a transition period. Remember to live in the moment and to continue enjoying life in whatever way that might be. Take trips and vacations, go to cafes, and don’t forget about your friends outside of medicine.
What’s next for you?
Well, I’m headed up to Prince George for my Psychiatry residency and looking forward to everything I’ll learn, the relationships I’ll make, and the adventures in store for me!
Kaela Richardson
Hometown: Vernon, BC
What’s next: Family Medicine residency in Strathcona
What attracted you to your field?
So many things have drawn me to Family Medicine; it really is the amalgamation of everything I’m looking for in my medical career. The diversity, flexibility, and variety challenges me and continually keeps my interest. I like knowing a little bit about every aspect of medicine and I can’t imagine having to choose just one area! I also really enjoy meeting people of all ages and walks of life, and I find it incredibly rewarding to provide patient-centered care in a longitudinal setting. We have incredible privilege as physicians, especially in primary care, and I look forward to serving others and contributing to the health and wellness of my community in a positive way.
What is your favourite moment from your time at the IMP/UBC?
There are too many to choose from! Since our class at the IMP is smaller in number, we were able to do group trips and lots of fun social events. One of the highlights would be the Mount Washington ski trip, which may or may not have influenced my rank list for residency programs…
What is one piece of advice you have for students entering the IMP?
Medical school is challenging, but if you focus on the positive and find joy in little things, you will have fun every day.
What’s next for you?
I am incredibly excited to start my Family Medicine residency at the UBC Strathcona site. I’m looking forward to learning amongst a small group of residents, exploring a new community on the Island, and becoming a better snowboarder, of course.
Damian Feldman-Kiss
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
What’s next: Emergency Medicine residency in Kelowna
What attracted you to your field?
Emergency Medicine has changed from physicians standing ready for acute emergencies to practicing as “availablists”—physicians who can help people anytime with any need. On my road to medicine, I learned that the most meaningful way to spend my life is to be available to people when they need it most, and an availablist is the kind of physician that I want to become. Not only do I want to lead resuscitations, but I want to be available to the unhoused, fearful gentleman with opioid use disorder and a skin infection. I want to put my hand on his shoulder and say, “We got you.”
What is your favourite moment from your time at the IMP/UBC?
I do not think there is a single favourite moment. “Offer of Admission – Island Medical Program” was a dream come true, but I could never have imagined the community waiting to be built on the other side of August 20, 2018. Whether laughing together about feeling awkward in clerkship or finding friends in the student lounge to debrief after clinical experiences, our community meant the world to me; it was such a privilege to be a part of it.
What is one piece of advice you have for students entering the IMP?
The premed journey is exhausting. However, the grind does not stop once you start medical school. Prioritize your wellness and learn sustainable practices to foster resiliency. I suffered from a lack of balance on my path to medicine, and prioritizing work-life balance during medical school has improved my mental health and helped me overcome the challenges of medical training.
What’s next for you?
I feel very fortunate to have matched to the UBC Emergency Medicine residency program in Kelowna. I am ecstatic to join my new family with a point-of-care ultrasound in one hand and my bike helmet in the other. I hope to become a leader in clinical and academic emergency medicine fighting the overdose crisis and improving emergency care for people who use substances.
Natasha Young
Hometown: Nanaimo, BC
What’s next: Healthcare-related teaching, research, and outreach
What attracted you to your field?
My fascination with the human body began a long, long time ago (in 1994) when I attended an autopsy at my local hospital in Northern BC. Medicine had been on my radar ever since. When my eldest child graduated, I thought maybe it wasn’t too late to apply. Medicine truly does allow me to combine my passion for pathophysiology and my desire to connect with people and serve.
What is your favourite moment from your time at the IMP/UBC?
I have very fond memories of the time spent in the Histology and Gross Anatomy labs. Our instructors are second to none and provide a safe learning environment where I can be curious, ask billions of questions, and really explore the topics at hand. Another time that stands out for me was when two of the other Indigenous students and I invited classmates to a pre-exam smudge. I was struck by how many people came, and I felt it soothed our jitters and brought us together as a group. I appreciated that the IMP administration was supportive of our idea.
What is one piece of advice you have for students entering the IMP?
If you are a non-traditional student like me and are coming into the world of medicine quite green, there is a lot to know about the non-academic side. Medical school differs quite a lot from a typical university program, so I encourage these students to connect with their classmates and faculty to better understand how to navigate the system. Don’t be shy to seek out mentors or ask for help. You will likely find people who feel the same way or have the same questions, and the shared experience is validating.
What’s next for you?
I will pursue several endeavours. I am very excited to be teaching the Year 1 and 2 Histology labs at the IMP next year. Also, I will continue to promote BIPOC health through employment with Indigenous Services Canada and through clinical research in a coastal First Nation. In addition to that, I am working on independent projects in medical education that target outreach and enhancing student success.