Welcome IMP Class of 2024

With the IMP Class of 2024 officially beginning classes in Victoria this week, allow us to officially introduce you to a few members of the class.

Jessy Sidhu

Hometown: White Rock, BC

What inspired you to pursue medicine at the IMP?

Volunteer and work experiences, as well as my own experience as a patient, inspired me to pursue medicine. I knew I wanted a career that would challenge me with opportunities for professional and personal growth throughout my lifetime and that would continually push me to become a better version of myself. Medicine provides a unique window into the lives of community members, and the privilege to bear witness to vulnerable moments of the human experience is an honour like no other I can imagine. Choosing the IMP was a no-brainer for me. My extended paternal family lives in Victoria and has roots here that go back to the earliest South Asian immigrants to BC. I believe Victoria has the best weather in Canada and UVic has the most idyllic university campus, so the IMP seems like the perfect place to be.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

I’m most looking forward to meeting my amazing classmates and instructors. I’m curious to see what lies within the Medical Sciences Building; I’ve walked by it many times hoping that one day I could study there as an IMP student. I’m incredibly lucky and grateful to be starting in the IMP alongside my sister, and I’m so excited for the opportunity to share this experience with her.

What did you study before attending the IMP?

I just graduated with a BSc from the combined biology and psychology major program at UVic. This degree program offered me the flexibility to take courses spanning from anthropology and sociology to molecular endocrinology and neurobiology.

How are you making personal wellness a priority during COVID-19?

I’ve been running early in the morning down by the beach while watching the sun rise to obtain my daily dose of vitamin D. I’ve also been hiking with my sister, and I’ve reacquainted myself with painting as a form of self-expression. FaceTime calls with friends and socially distanced walks along scenic trails have also been a cornerstone of my summer.

Favourite physically distanced social activity?

In the spirit of every adventurous Vancouver Islander, I’ll go with hiking. I also enjoy beach walks, picnics, and anything that allows for exploration and appreciation of the great outdoors.

Jordyn Heal

Hometown: Saanichton, BC

What inspired you to pursue medicine at the IMP?

While I was in high school, I worked at Science Venture summer camps at UVic. That was where I first learnt about the IMP. My current interests are in primary care (e.g., family medicine, emergency medicine, etc.), and I thought that it would be incredibly rewarding to pursue my medical education in and around the same communities that I grew up in!

What are you most looking forward to this year?

Since my undergraduate education was more macro (e.g., healthcare systems and population health), I am most looking forward to learning more about the provision of healthcare at the individual level, such as how to advocate for and work alongside a patient through challenging and vulnerable times in their life.

What did you study before attending the IMP?

Before attending the IMP, I was three years into a Bachelor of Arts and Science in global health and public health at McGill University in Montreal. I jumped at the opportunity to move out East for my first post-secondary degree so I could spread my wings and learn more about myself. That said, moving back to BC was always on the agenda for me.

How are you making personal wellness a priority during COVID-19?

I have the habit of (nearly) daily journaling. This practice has become even more important to me during COVID-19, since this is my protected time to check in with myself and reflect on what I see, hear, and experience around me. The days seem to slip by so quickly now, but this daily practice allows me to record and appreciate the beautiful little things in life.

Favourite physically distanced social activity?

Since moving back to Victoria after a few years away, my favourite physically distanced social activities would have to be hiking and BYOPicnic. These activities allow me to reconnect with both my loved ones and the natural beauty of the Island I am fortunate enough to call home.

Simona Bene Watts

Hometown: Lee Creek, British Columbia

What inspired you to pursue medicine at the IMP?

I was raised in a small rural community where one chronically struggles to find a physician. This made me gain a strong appreciation for medicine and an understanding of what happens when a community goes without it. The IMP felt like the best place to pursue medical school as I worked with the Community Genetics Research Program, which is based out of the IMP, for my MSc and loved it!

What are you most looking forward to this year?

I am most looking forward to meeting new friends and future colleagues! Medicine draws such a diverse group of people and I can’t wait to meet everyone in the IMP Class of 2024.

What did you study before attending the IMP?

I completed a BSc in physiology at McGill University and then a MSc in interdisciplinary studies at the University of Victoria. My MSc partnered with a First Nations community in Northern BC to explore the impact of an inherited cardiac condition on children and youth in their community.

How are you making personal wellness a priority during COVID-19?

That’s a tough one! Before COVID-19, I loved going to in-person barre and yoga classes to de-stress. Nowadays I’ve transitioned to going for runs around my neighbourhood and making sure to prioritize video calls with friends. I’ve especially enjoyed having more time to call friends that live far away.

Favourite physically distanced social activity?

I really love paddle boarding and it’s inherently socially distanced because the board is greater than 2m long!

Faraz Damji

Hometown: Vancouver, BC

What inspired you to pursue medicine at the IMP?

Having lived in Vancouver all my life, I was drawn to the beautiful city of Victoria with its old-world charm and breadth of amazing outdoor activities to participate in. I also loved the idea of being part of a small, tight-knit class that emphasized building relationships with fellow students and faculty members.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

It would definitely be meeting the faces of UBC medicine—everyone from incoming students to professors.

What did you study before attending the IMP?

I completed my Bachelor of Kinesiology and MSc in rehabilitation sciences, both at UBC. During this time, I realized I am fascinated by human anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and sports injury prevention.

How are you making personal wellness a priority during COVID-19?

During my master’s degree, I explored the use of wearable technology to monitor training and competition loads in elite athletes; I am intrigued by their potential applications. This led me to purchasing a fitness tracker for myself. This summer, I’ve enjoyed cycling numerous routes in Vancouver and geeking out at the end of the day while analyzing my metrics.

Favourite physically distanced social activity?

A round of golf!

Janae Vlaar

Hometown: Vineland, ON / Vancouver, BC

What inspired you to pursue medicine at the IMP?

Stories and sciences are two of my favourite things, and I think medicine is a beautiful combination of the two. I see medicine as a space to be with and listen to people in some of their most vulnerable moments, and I think it is an unparalleled privilege to have people share their story with you. I’ve also always been fascinated by the complexity of the human body and how it works, so medicine has resonated with me in that way too. As for the IMP, I’ve been living in Vancouver and Squamish over the past four years and love both for different reasons, so an opportunity to live in a place that has elements of both and have a small class was super appealing.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

I’m really excited to be a student again, to be challenged, and to learn, but I am most looking forward to anatomy labs. I’m also stoked to explore the Island, find my new favourite riding trails, and make the most of the amazing road biking around Victoria.

What did you study before attending the IMP?

I studied life sciences at Queen’s University (BSc, 2016) and population and public health at UBC (MSc, 2018).

How are you making personal wellness a priority during COVID-19?

I’m an introvert and a homebody, so the whole staying-home-most-of-the-time thing is a happy place for me. I’ve appreciated the extra time and I’ve really focused on my home hobbies to keep me busy. I’ve grown a beautiful balcony garden (which sadly had to stay in Vancouver), played so many games of Pandemic and Settlers of Catan, honed my sourdough recipe, baked way too many crumbles, made a big dent in the Canada Reads longlist, spent some quality time doing Yoga with Adriene, and had a lot of cuddles with my very large and fluffy cat. Fortunately, I’ve been able to keep up most of my pre-pandemic physical activity since running and cycling are perfect for being outside and keeping my distance.

Favourite physically distanced social activity?

Biking. Road biking, mountain biking, cruise to the beach or ice cream shop—any of the above will do!

Peter Nguyen

Hometown: Victoria, BC

What inspired you to pursue medicine at the IMP?

I know medical school is going to be full of challenges and I wanted to be positioned for success. I was born and raised in Victoria and I have a strong support network here. I have lived in other cities in Canada before, but Victoria always felt like the best fit. I love the pace of a small city and the option to explore rural parts of the Island. Like all of BC, the Island offers breathtaking views to reset yourself from everyday stresses. We have mountains, surf, old growths, and nightlife! What more can you ask for?

What are you most looking forward to this year?

I am currently a paramedic for BCEHS and I would love to apply my medical knowledge of diseases from the classroom to the field. Having worked alongside nurses and doctors, I am constantly reminded how much more there is to learn. I graduated from UVic in 2018 and I’ve missed the pace and breadth of university learning.

What did you study before attending the IMP?

I completed my BSc in chemistry at UVic, then completed my paramedic training at JIBC.

How are you making personal wellness a priority during COVID-19?

This pandemic has been hard on people for several different reasons including social isolation, interruption of daily routines, and possible contraction of COVID-19. Something that has kept me positive and active is my dog, Sigma. We go on beach walks and hikes every day to relieve the stresses of working as a paramedic. I also keep in contact with my friends through video chats and texts, so even though we don’t see each other face-to-face, we can still keep up-to-date with our everyday lives.

Favourite physically distanced social activity?

Going for walks on the beach while Sigma get the zoomies!

Ivy Deavy

Hometown: Ottawa, ON

What inspired you to pursue medicine at the IMP?

At 27 years of age—after nearly a decade of travelling and working while trying to decide on a career path that would be purposeful and fulfilling to me—I made the decision to pursue a career in healthcare. Though medicine was not something I initially considered, I committed myself to following my educational path as far as needed to reach my ultimate goal of a rewarding career. Halfway through my undergraduate, a friend showed me an advert for a medical school in Ireland. That seed, alongside a budding interest in human anatomy, was all it took to bring me around to the realization that medicine was where I wanted to be.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

Cadaver dissection has been the thing I have been looking forward to most. The thing I am next most excited about is simply starting the process of my medical education. I have no desire to rush through the next four years, and I have no regrets over starting this process later in life than most of my peers. I am eager and excited to be taking concrete steps towards the start of my career.

What did you study before attending the IMP?

I did one year of academic upgrading as I had opted out of studying math and sciences in high school. After upgrading, I worked towards a degree in kinesiology at UVic.

How are you making personal wellness a priority during COVID-19?

Personal wellness, with a strong focus on mental health, is something that I’ve always made a priority throughout my adult life. I feel that staying mentally balanced is important, not just for my quality of life but also for my academic performance. That being said, I have used some of the time off during the pandemic to explore therapy as a new tool to increase my overall self-awareness, as well as to increase my ease and happiness within personal and professional relationships.

Favourite physically distanced social activity?

Playing Dungeons and Dragons remotely with friends has been a great way to stay in touch during lock down and to keep my in-person bubble small. But when the weather is nice, I love to get out for socially distance swims or Butchart Garden strolls.

IMP Student Collaborates on WHO Guidance Book

Cai Long (IMP Class of 2021)

Cai Long (IMP Class of 2021) returned to his engineering roots to work as a technical consultant for a new World Health Organization (WHO) guidance book.

Published earlier this year, WHO technical guidance and specifications of medical devices for screening and treatment of precancerous lesions in the prevention of cervical cancer aims to increase access to medical devices used to screen, diagnose, and treat cervical cancer. It does this by serving as a selection/procurement guide and by providing the technical guidance required for the proper use of those devices.

We spoke with Cai about how he contributed to the book, his interest in bridging medicine and technology, and how he balanced this project and his medical schooling at the IMP.

How did you get involved with this project?

I saw a post that WHO was looking for an engineer to work on cervical cancer screening and treatment. I applied and was very fortunately offered the job.

Why did you choose to work on this particular project?

Coming from an engineering background, I have a strong interest in bridging medicine and technology. The availability of high-quality, affordable medical devices in low-resource settings is crucial for better health outcomes. I also believe cervical cancer is an important global health issue that can be eliminated with collaborative work.

Second, I am very interested in global health. In my future practice, I would love to involve some sort of global health component, either through humanitarian outreach, teaching, or research.

Overall, this project provided me an opportunity to learn more about global health and to practice critical thinking. I learned to appreciate our health-care system more after realizing how privileged we are in Canada to have universal health-care coverage.

How did you contribute to the project?

The goal of the project was to develop technical specifications for cervical cancer–prevention and –treatment technologies. My work included conducting a literature review, reconciling international standards and regulations, performing an industry horizontal scan, coordinating workshops and expert review meetings, and preparing technical manuscripts. The finished book is a great example of what we can achieve through international collaboration. We had engineers, clinicians from a variety of NGOs, and individuals from several UN agencies (i.e., WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA) on the team.

Which chapters did you work on?

I developed “Chapter 4: Technical guidance and specifications for colposcope”, “Chapter 6: Technical guidance and specifications for cryosurgical unit”, and “Chapter 7: Technical guidance and specifications for ESUs used in LLETZ (or LEEP).”

When and where did you do this work? And how did you balance this project and medical school?

I spent some time in India working with the WHO and the Clinton Health Access Initiative during the Christmas break in 2018. After that, I worked on the chapters when I was back in Victoria, BC, until March 2019.

I sometimes found it challenging to balance the workload of this project and medical school, especially before exams. There were a lot of meetings and emails, but I was able to manage them after class thanks to the time zone difference.

I also appreciate that the UBC medicine curriculum is very flexible as it enabled me to pursue this project. I really enjoyed the work, and it was exciting to join such an amazing global team working on this very important issue.

Finally, can you tell us a little bit about your engineering background?

I studied pharmaceutical engineering with an economics minor during my undergrad in China, and I obtained a master’s degree in biomedical engineering at UBC. Before medicine, I worked as an engineer for five years in Vancouver, Geneva, and Yellowknife. This training and work experience helped me learn to think logically and critically. I hope to use my engineering knowledge to better the health-care system for our community.

You can access the book WHO technical guidance and specifications of medical devices for screening and treatment of precancerous lesions in the prevention of cervical cancer here.

Remembering Dr. Bruce Crawford

How do I begin to write about my mentor, my teacher, and my friend, Dr. Crawford?

First of all, it may seem strange that I would call someone so close to me Dr. Crawford instead of by his first name. He did tell me to call him Bruce at some point in those early days. However, he had both an MD and a PhD, so I called him Dr. Crawford. How could you not? He was a doctor two times over! I called him Dr. Crawford initially out of respect, then as a habit so I wouldn’t call him Bruce in front of the students. Eventually, Dr. Crawford just became the name I know him by. To me, it is a name of respect and endearment; like calling someone Father instead of Dad. Dr. Crawford will always be my IMP father, even though he often seemed more grandfatherly. He was old fashioned in all of the best ways — he worked hard, with consistent integrity, a sensible practicality, and an absence of pretense. So, please don’t mistake the moniker as formality or lack of affection; other than my own Dad, no man has influenced or shaped me more than Dr. Crawford.

Dr. Crawford was born March 12, 1943, here in Victoria. He attended George Jay Elementary and Victoria High School. He went on to obtain his undergraduate degree from the University of Victoria, his PhD in Zoology from the University of Washington in 1972, and his post-doctorate from the University of Alberta in 1973. He then attended UBC medical school, where he earned his MD in 1977. He was born to teach medical students and Dr. Friedmann, who must have recognized this, appointed him to the UBC medicine teaching faculty upon graduation. Dr. Crawford remained at UBC until coming home to Victoria in 2005 to help pioneer the Island Medical Program (more about that later).

During his teaching career, Dr. Crawford was also a world-class researcher and an expert electron microscopist. Many of his images are used in textbooks and lectures to this day. He studied developmental biology through the extracellular matrix using mostly starfish larvae. In association with the Canadian Space Agency and NASA, he sent starfish to space on the Space Shuttle Endeavour to study embryonic development in zero gravity. I would believe the research-in-space club is likely a pretty small one, so this is no small feat!

I spent many days with him walking beaches looking for starfish.

There are a few other things you may not have known about Dr. Crawford. Dr. Wayne Vogl (UBC) wrote recently that he was “the ‘McGyver’ of the department because he could fix anything and build ‘stuff’ from scratch.” Dr. Crawford was also an avid scuba diver, both for his studies in marine biology and his pure enjoyment. Sometimes he combined the two; he and his wife Terry would study the marine life in the Cook Islands just for fun while they were on vacation. (Yes, they took a microscope on vacation.) They went to Rarotonga many times over the years and would dive on every trip. I remember him saying there was a fish the divemaster named Trigger that would meet them every time they dove.

Dr. Crawford also played the bagpipes, and he was very dedicated to practicing and become a better player. He was an excellent pilot who loved flying and owned a sporty little red Cessna 152, which he regularly took off from and landed at Vancouver International Airport amidst 747s and other large, fast commercial aircraft. You may have seen him carrying a weird square briefcase with stickers on it to and from work; that was a pilot flight case. One story I loved listening to Dr. Crawford tell was about the time he took Dr. Bill Ovalle — a long-time UBC colleague and friend — for a harrowing flight to the west coast of Vancouver Island and a return landing at YVR. Dr. Crawford’s eyes would sparkle and he would almost be in tears laughing while telling that story, so I pretended to forget it every once in a while just so I could hear him tell it again. I have been fortunate enough to recently hear Dr. Ovalle’s version of it — it’s still fantastic.

Dr. Crawford was a natural teacher who loved nothing more than to be with a small group of medical students, sharing his knowledge while broadening theirs. He was a patient and kind teacher who the students loved, appreciated, and respected. They adored him so much that the first class that passed through the Island Medical Program (IMP Class of 2008) created the Bruce Crawford Teaching Award to both acknowledge and honour his dedication to teaching. The inscription on this student-initiated award is “Third Year Students of the Island Medical Program give this award to the Teacher who made the most profound and positive impact on their first two years of medical training.” Those words, and the fact that the students initiated and created such an award, speak volumes about him as a teacher.

There is so much to be said about Dr. Crawford’s teaching and research notoriety, but he was so much more than all those wonderful accomplishments. I think this can be found in the selfless manner in which he did all those great things, never once asking for the spotlight to shine on himself. I have learned so much from Dr. Crawford. He gave me the chance to have this career I love. He taught me so much about anatomy and about teaching anatomy, and he always had a way of giving me space and time to learn some things for myself while remaining unobtrusively there to support me at the same time. He never pulled rank on me; we were always a team, working together to do the best for the students. Once, in the early days, there were boxes and boxes of materials and supplies that arrived for the lab. He could have easily just instructed me to break down all those cardboard boxes and take them to the recycling bin — that was my job after all — but he didn’t; he took out his knife and broke down those boxes with me while we talked about teaching, flying, space, or anatomy.

Almost 40 years of medical students were fortunate to have Dr. Crawford as their anatomy teacher; I am sure they will all miss him, and they will keep the knowledge he passed on alive in their practices. That knowledge has benefitted who knows how many people by now. Forty-plus years of colleagues and a lifetime of friends were lucky to have shared some time with Dr. Crawford, and thus his memory remains. I miss my friend. I wish he were still here and we could be the anatomy team again, but that isn’t how life works. Now I — now we — need to move forward and honour him in this house he helped build. Dr. Crawford can’t be here physically, but the Island Medical Program anatomically breathes and exists because of him, his effort, and his desire to come home to Victoria and educate medical students. Every time we do something with excellence or put a student’s need ahead of our own, we honour him and keep the essence of who he was alive at the Island Medical Program.

In his memory, the Gross Anatomy lab in the Medical Sciences Building will be known from now on as The Bruce Crawford Anatomy Teaching Laboratory.

Thank you, Dr. Crawford, for everything you have done. We will do our best to continue your work.

Kurt McBurney
Associate Teaching Professor
Island Medical Program
On behalf of everyone who has passed through the IMP

***

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Bruce Crawford. Not only was he instrumental in founding the Island Medical Program, but Dr. Crawford was also an amazing teacher, mentor, and friend to many. I thank Kurt McBurney for writing in memory of Dr. Crawford on behalf of everyone who has passed through the IMP. His letter eloquently summarizes the accomplishments, commitment, amazing teaching, and kind demeanor that Dr. Bruce Crawford brought to the IMP.

We were truly fortunate to have had Dr. Crawford in our program; he will be sorely missed.

For those who would like to share a memory of Dr. Crawford, we welcome you to do so here.

Sincerely,

Bruce Wright, MD, CCFP, FCFP
Regional Associate Dean, Vancouver Island, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Head, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria

New Insights on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Treatment

Earlier this year, Andrew Jamroz (IMP Class of 2021) had his article “Prednisone for Acute Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study” published in Pain Research and Management.

Andrew Jamroz (IMP Class of 2021)

Andrew’s research, which began as a FLEX project in his first year at the IMP, focused on using prednisone to treat complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). CRPS is a chronic pain condition that can present itself as a swollen and discoloured limb with limited mobility and sensory symptoms. Left untreated, CRPS can progress to permanent disability, severe pain, or amputation.

After analyzing the results of their study, Andrew and his fellow researchers found most patients saw complete or partial pain reduction when using prednisone. Almost all cases of swelling, sensory, and vasomotor symptoms disappeared too.

Andrew’s first presented his findings last year at the Canadian Association of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Annual Scientific Meeting, where his abstract won first place in the original research category of the Medical Student Research Contest. The same findings were also presented at the 7th International Congress on Neuropathic Pain in London, UK.

“The publication was a rewarding end to this wonderful journey,” says Andrew.

You can read Andrew’s publication here.

Easing Patient Supporters’ Surgery-day Stress

Imagine your loved one is in surgery. How do you feel? Concerned? Anxious? In need of an update?

Liz Burden (IMP Class of 2022) with her PatientLink poster at the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council Quality Forum 2020 in Vancouver this past February.

“The perioperative process is a stressful ordeal, not only for patients but for their supporters as well,” says Liz Burden (IMP Class of 2022).

To help address this issue, Liz decided to focus her FLEX project on PatientLink, a new online service that sends caregivers and loved ones updates on a patient throughout the day of surgery. Now, just over a year later, Liz has won the ImpactBC Scholarship in Health Care Research and Development for her work on the app.

Under the supervision of Dr. Christopher Nguan in Vancouver, Liz surveyed patients’ families, friends, and supporters on their experiences and sources of anxiety and stress on surgery day. Upon analysis of this Phase 1 data, Liz found many individuals felt they didn’t receive frequent enough updates on the patients’ condition.

Phase 2 of the project aims to see if PatientLink can help alleviate this stressor. The app – which the team developed in-house – enables surgical teams to send patient status updates to loved ones in real-time. Due to the private nature of the information, the one-way communications platform is secure.

“This is really cool work,” says Rohit Singla (MD/PhD student, IMP Class of 2025), who also works on the project. “It has broad applications, including for rural and remote caregivers who may not be able to travel with patients.” He gives a real example of a transplant recipient who had to travel to BC for an operation. Their significant other had to remain on the other side of the country, but thanks to PatientLink, they received updates on their partner throughout the day.

Liz completed the research protocol, ethics application, and amendments for the pilot study conducted during Phase 2. And while she agrees PatientLink’s integration of technology and healthcare is exciting, Liz says the underlying principles of patient-centred care are what really makes the project shine. By basing their app on stressors identified by real patient supporters in Phase 1, the PatientLink team created a tool that people would actually find helpful on surgery day.

This involvement could also create value in other area too. “The value of involving patients –and in this case, the patients’ supporters – in healthcare decision-making and health professional education can be seen in the increased accountability of professionals, improved patient quality of care and experience, the therapeutic relationship between healthcare professional and patient, and the benefits of that relationship such as adherence to treatment plans and follow-up,” she says.

Patient-centred care is receiving a lot more attention in modern healthcare, and it’s the main focus of the scholarship Liz received for her work. Available through an endowment established by ImpactBC, the prize is available to UBC Health program students who have completed a project focusing on patient/client involvement in health care decision-making or in health professional education.

Now off-site in Victoria, Liz continues to conduct data analysis, write abstracts and manuscripts, and present findings for the PatientLink project. She has already presented the findings from Phase 1 of the project in a poster presentation at the 13th Annual Lorne D. Sullivan Lectureship & Research Day at UBC, and submitted a manuscript to the Journal of Surgical Research. She also presented the preliminary results of the pilot study in a poster presentation at the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council Quality Forum 2020 and in a podium presentation at the Northwest Urology Society 66^th Annual Scientific, both of which took place in Vancouver this past February. She had also been accepted for a moderated poster presentation at the Canadian Urological Association 77^th Annual Meeting in Victoria this month; however, with the conference being cancelled due to COVID-19, Liz’s abstract was published in the June issue of the Canadian Urological Association Journal instead.

“I’m really excited with the positive feedback we’ve received thus far, and I’m hopeful that this app can be extended across specialties in the future,” Liz says. “PatientLink provides an opportunity to improve connectedness during an incredibly stressful time in the lives of patients and their loved ones.”

Rohit Singla Named 2020 Vanier Scholar

Rohit Singla (MD/PhD student; IMP Class of 2025)

Rohit Singla (MD/PhD student; IMP Class of 2025) has been named a 2020 Vanier Scholar (NSERC). He received the scholarship for his proposal titled “Intelligent Renal Ultrasound: Development of Ultrasound-based Measures Using Machine Learning to Prevent Renal Disease Progression.”

“I’ll be exploring how ultrasound can be used to detect a diseased kidney and to quantify micro-structural changes, as well as simplifying ultrasound image acquisition,” Rohit says. “Chronic kidney disease impacts over 10% of the Canadian population, and answering these questions may reduce the overall burden of this disease on Canadians.”

A Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is valued at $50,000 per year for three years during doctoral studies, and considers three equally weighted selection criteria: academic excellence, research potential, and leadership. Rohit says the scholarship will provide him with academic freedom and the ability to fully focus on research.

Rohit is part of the MD/PhD program at the IMP. Offered jointly by the UBC Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, this seven-year program allows highly qualified students to combine medical school with intensive scientific training. Rohit is completing his PhD studies in biomedical engineering.

You can learn more about Rohit and his experiences in the MD/PhD program here.

IMP Class of 2020 Keeps It Local

Seventeen students in the IMP Class of 2020 – more than half of the class – graduated from high schools on Vancouver Island. Eight students attended schools located in the greater Victoria area, four in the Nanaimo Regional District, two in Mill Bay, two in Campbell River, and one in Comox.

IMP Class of 2020

Thirteen of those 17 students also completed their pre-medical studies on Vancouver Island, specifically at the University of Victoria (UVic).

“The IMP Class of 2020 represents a great success for medical education on Vancouver Island,” says Dr. Bruce Wright, Regional Associate Dean, Vancouver Island, Faculty of Medicine, UBC, and Head, Division of Medical Sciences, UVic.

The IMP delivers the UBC MD program in collaboration with UVic and Island Health. Based on UVic campus and at affiliated healthcare centres across Vancouver Island, the IMP is part of Canada’s first fully distributed undergraduate medical education program, which was created in 2004 to help address regional shortages of physicians, particularly in remote, rural, and Indigenous communities.

“Studies have shown that doctors are more likely to set up practice where they train,” says Dr. Bruce Wright, Regional Associate Dean, Vancouver Island, Faculty of Medicine, UBC, and Head, Division of Medical Sciences, UVic. “We’re already seeing evidence of this on Vancouver Island. More than 450 UBC MD students who graduated between 2000 and 2017 are now practicing on the Island, 289 of which are family doctors.”

“Community and family connections are also important factors for new physicians, so it’s vital our program attracts students from the local area.”

In 2017/18, one quarter of UBC medical students were high school graduates from Vancouver Island.

All 32 graduating students the IMP Class of 2020 were successful in the Canadian Residency Matching Service. Family medicine was the most popular discipline, with 41 per cent of the class matching to it. The remaining graduates matched to Royal College programs ranging from anesthesiology to urology. BC is fortunate to have 50 per cent of the IMP’s newest graduates remaining in the province to train, with 22 per cent of the class specifically attending residency programs on Vancouver Island. Their residencies begin in July.

Every year, more than 2,930 UBC medical student and resident rotations take place in hospitals, primary care settings and clinics across the Island and surrounding region.

Meet Four Graduates from the Class of 2020

Thirty-two students, of which 17 are alumni of Vancouver Island high schools, will graduate from the Island Medical Program this year. We spoke to four individuals from the Class of 2020 about their experiences in the program, where they’re headed next, and what inspires them.

Brianna Crighton
Hometown: Quadra Island, BC
Residency Program: Family Medicine

What attracted you to your field?

I decided to pursue a career in medicine so I could contribute to my community, affect positive change, and empower others to pursue wellness. Family medicine stood out to me for the great diversity in the scope of practice and the fact it offers the opportunity to develop longitudinal relationships with my patients and the flexibility to adapt my career over time.

What is your favourite moment from your time at the IMP/UBC?

It’s difficult to choose a single favourite memory from the past four years! I have many memories with my classmates—who have become family—at the Island Medical Program. A highlight for me was our yearly class trip to Tofino, which was filled with beaches, surfing, and tacos.

As you look ahead, what or who inspires you?

I have been continuously inspired by all of the patients who have shared their stories with me and contributed to my education, as well as the many passionate and dedicated physicians who adapt their practice and advocate for improved health access to provide the best care to their patients.

What is one small pleasure that brings you joy?

I love the ocean. Spending time exploring new areas by kayak and walking along the beach both bring me joy.

What’s next for you?

I will be starting a rural family medicine residency program in Campbell River. I am extremely grateful to continue my training in my home community. I look forward to practicing in small communities, providing a full-scope of care to my patients.

Vincent Soh
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Residency Program: Family Medicine

What attracted you to your field?

I was initially pulled towards family medicine because my passion has always been preventive medicine. Having said that, I went into medical school open to other options. There were instances during clerkship when I considered other specialties like emergency medicine, but I always came back to family medicine as I feel it is the only discipline in which one has the opportunity to develop relationships with people from all walks of life.

What is your favourite moment from your time at the IMP/UBC?

This is a tough one. I’ve enjoyed every moment of my time at UBC, especially third and fourth year. Every day was exciting and I experienced so many firsts. One moment that especially stands out is my first day of clerkship in my cardiac surgery rotation when I got to see and feel a beating heart for the first time! I am sure that no matter how experienced of a physician I become, I will never forget how humbled I felt in that moment.

As you look ahead, what or who inspires you?

My colleagues. In the past four years, I have met some of the most amazing and driven people. I’ve had the privilege of calling them my classmates, and they’ve become some of my closest friends. It truly makes me happy to know that the future of healthcare is full of such passionate and well-rounded individuals. They inspire me to grow as a person and as a future physician who they would also be proud to call their colleague.

What is one small pleasure that brings you joy?

Watching a good film. There aren’t many things more satisfying than losing yourself in a well-developed plot. Ever since my undergrad years, my ritual has been to watch a movie before an exam to ease my nerves. It helps me to relax and remove myself from potential stressors. Hopefully, there will be time in residency to catch a good film every now and then!

Jocelyn Chai
Hometown: Richmond, BC
Residency Program: Internal Medicine

What attracted you to your field?

Coming from a background in pharmacy, internal medicine felt more intuitive to me. Throughout clerkship, I realized my love for chasing zebras and going down rabbit holes of medically complex patient cases. I also love working in a team of residents and medical students who constantly inspire me to be better.

What is your favourite moment from your time at the IMP/UBC?

There were countless moments that have made Victoria feel like a home away from home. I have made lifelong friendships, attempted to eat at all the brunch spots in Canada’s brunch capital, and had amazing weekend getaways to Tofino and Port Renfrew, just to name a few.

As you look ahead, what or who inspires you?

I am inspired by all the incredible people who have been with me on this journey, including my friends, mentors, and, of course, my parents, who have shown me selfless love and support.

What is one small pleasure that brings you joy?

FaceTime with my puppy, Princess, never ceases to brighten up my day!

What’s next for you?

I will be moving back home to Vancouver for residency and will be spending some much-needed time with my parents and my puppy.

Nick Slater
Hometown: Victoria, BC
Residency Program: Internal Medicine

What attracted you to your field?

As a naturally curious person with a background in research and a passion for patient-centered care, internal medicine seemed like the perfect fit. Throughout my internal medicine electives, I enjoyed the opportunity to tackle interesting and diagnostically challenging cases while forming longitudinal physician-patient relationships. I fondly remember the patients on the Clinical Teaching Unit who I had the privilege of helping on their journey to overcome their disease. For me, medicine is all about lifelong learning and application of knowledge to better an individual’s well-being, and internal medicine provides tremendous opportunity to accomplish this.

What is your favorite moment from your time at UBC?

I think I need a short novel to do this question justice. While I expected to be trained as a competent physician at UBC, I did not anticipate forming such cherished, lifelong friendships with my classmates. The stories that we share are my favourite moments from my time at UBC.

As you look ahead, what or who inspires you?

As a member of the IMP Class of 2020, it is hard not to be inspired by my classmates every day. Our class has everyone from accomplished musicians to amazing parents, and they are all the most kind-hearted and altruistic people I have ever met. I am also inspired by the patients who share their stories with me and whose lives I am fortunate enough to be a part of. Lastly, I am inspired by my wife, whose unconditional love and support remains a constant source of strength and resiliency.

What is one small pleasure that brings you joy?

My wife and I have two cats at home. One is fluffy and loves to snuggle but is a bit of a menace, and the other is very affectionate but a bit anxious. Their daily shenanigans bring me joy.

What’s next for you?

I feel very fortunate to be joining the internal medicine residency program in Victoria. I look forward to joining an outstanding internal medicine program with a tremendous culture of education, passionate staff, and a truly great group of residents.

IMP Students Help Vancouver Island Community During COVID-19 Outbreak

More than 60 Island Medical Program students are volunteering to help the Vancouver Island community during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Ashley Ram (IMP Class of 2020)

Projects in the student-led initiative include assisting GPs conduct wellness checks with vulnerable patients over the phone, providing contactless grocery delivery to seniors, and helping an inner city response team address the impacts of COVID-19 on Victoria’s homeless population.

Volunteer coordinator Madelaine Beckett (IMP Class of 2021) says the students are also helping frontline workers at home. “We have quite a few students providing child care, pet care and grocery runs to frontline workers. We’ve tried to match one student to one family, just to minimize the total number of contacts and risk of exposure.”

Jesse Spooner (IMP Class of 2020)

Several students are also volunteering to help the University Of Victoria (UVic) and Island Health, two of the IMP’s foundational partners. One team is collecting PPE donations for Island Health. “We recognize there is a shortage of medical-grade personal protective equipment on the front lines and we want to help address that need.” says Max Moor-Smith (IMP Class of 2020), who is helping lead the donation drive.

Lisa Jeffery (IMP Class of 2020) volunteers with the UVic initiative 3D-printing face shields for local frontline health workers. “When this opportunity came up, I recognized it as a great opportunity to help. These folks are doing an incredible service,” says Lisa. The face shield project is lead by Stephanie Willerth, a cross-appointed associate professor in UVic’s Division of Medical Sciences (DMSC); DMSC faculty provide the majority of their teaching commitment to the IMP.

The students’ contribution to the Island healthcare community through Island Health and UVic help illustrate benefits of the IMP’s foundational collaboration between those institutions and UBC.

Volunteers in the Stephanie Willerth lab.

“A program this complex, and a vision this bold, are possible only with the support of strong partners. Island Health and UVic continue to play a significant role in our success,” says Dr. Bruce Wright, Regional Associate Dean, Vancouver Island, Faculty of Medicine, UBC, and Head, Division of Medical Sciences, UVic.

This partnership will continue to impact the Vancouver Island healthcare system after the COVID-19 outbreak. IMP students have access to significant academic research opportunities that address specific health needs in the community through DMSC. Medical students also participate in more than 2,900 clinical rotations each year in hospitals, primary care settings and clinics across the Island and surrounding region. Studies show that patients receive increased levels of care with the presence of medical learners and that hospitals with training facilities help recruit more physicians.

Other studies also show that doctors are more likely to set up practice where they train and make community connections. “More than 450 UBC MD students who graduated between 2000 and 2017 are now practicing on the Island, 289 of which are family doctors,” says Dr. Wright.

Click on the following links to read coverage of the students’ work on CHEK News, in Oak Bay News, and on Andrew Weaver’s website.

IMP Class of 2020 Celebrates Match Day

The Island Medical Program’s (IMP) Class of 2020, along with other medical students around the province, celebrated the first-round results of the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) on March 3. CaRMS pairs medical students with postgraduate residency training programs across Canada.

More than one-fifth of students in the IMP Class of 2020 will stay on Vancouver Island for their residencies.

Students matched to programs including Family Medicine, Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Psychiatry, and Urology.

To celebrate the day and their next steps, the Class of 2020 gathered with IMP staff and faculty at Royal Jubilee Hospital for lunch and plenty of photos. You can view some of them on the IMP Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.