Jake Johnston
Abbotsford, BC
Island Medical Program, Year 1
What inspired you to pursue your program?
My inspiration to pursue medicine came not from some revolutionary moment, but from many smaller experiences that, like puzzle pieces, came together to reveal medicine as the perfect fit. One of my biggest inspirations came from a research pair I worked with in Montreal; their scientific curiosity was inspiring and infectious. They were down-to-earth and put in countless hours of research, with the goal of improving the lives of women suffering from a nasty type of ovarian cancer. That experience made it clear that medicine was exactly what I wanted to do.
What are you looking forward to most this upcoming year?
I’m very excited to learn clinical skills from family doctors and interact with patients. I’m also stoked to meet all of my fellow classmates and, together, go on Vancouver Island adventures!
Best piece of advice?
Don’t be so focused on your goals that you forget to enjoy the process of achieving them. Life is short; make the most out of all its stages. And hang on to your hobbies!
First job?
Umpiring baseball games when I was 12.
What’s next on your BC bucket list?
To hike the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island and (hopefully) catch a fish during the trek!