As Dr. Foster Wynne (IMP Class of 2026) graduated from medical school this year, he also received the Dr. Jill McEwen Emergency Medicine Award. The award, which honours the late Dr. McEwen, recognizes an outstanding fourth-year MD student who demonstrates an interest in emergency medicine.
When we spoke with Foster, who began his residency at the UBC Emergency Medicine Interior Site in Kelowna this July, it was easy to understand why he received the award. Here’s our conversation about the experiences that drew him to the field and his plans for the future.
Congratulations on receiving the Dr. Jill McEwen Emergency Medicine Award, Foster! How did you feel when you learned that you received the award?
Dr. McEwen was a true pioneer in emergency medicine, so receiving an award in her honour was incredibly meaningful. It also made me reflect on how fortunate I’ve been to have such outstanding mentors and teachers throughout my time at UBC. They’ve shaped me into the learner I am today, and I certainly wouldn’t have received this award without all their guidance and help.
What draws you to emergency medicine, and when did you start thinking this was the specialty you wanted to pursue?
Emergency medicine really captures what drew me to medicine in the first place: being someone others can rely on for medical care when they need it most. As an emergency physician, you have the skills and knowledge to approach any problem in any patient, recognize life-threatening illness, and intervene when it matters. These skills and knowledge are both incredibly valuable inside the hospital and outside of it. The fast-paced team environment, the variety of clinical presentations, and the opportunity to work in communities across British Columbia are added bonuses.
I was interested in emergency medicine from the beginning of medical school, but it was my experiences outside of medicine that turned this interest into a calling. Before medical school, I volunteered with search and rescue, and I worked as a wildland firefighter during medical school. These experiences showed me the importance of acute care skills and gave me a strong desire to develop them. After rotating through emergency medicine during my Integrated Community Clerkship in Vernon, I knew it was the specialty I wanted to pursue.
What about your upcoming residency are you most excited for?
It is a dream come true to be training in Kelowna, and I am beyond thrilled to be joining the incredible emergency medicine group in the Interior! I’m also very excited to fully immerse myself in emergency medicine, work hard, and become the best physician I can be over the next five years.
Anything else you would like to add?
To any future student interested in emergency medicine: please don’t hesitate to reach out. I found talking with senior medical students, residents, and staff physicians incredibly helpful throughout my own journey, and I’m always happy to pay that forward!