The Island Medical Program (IMP) Class of 2026 officially started medical school in Victoria last week. We’d like to introduce you to a few members of the class.
Alex Horsthuis
Hometown: Black Creek, BC
What inspired you to pursue this program?
I chose medicine at a very young age. I always liked the sciences and helping people, so medicine seemed like a great fit. Working in mental health and addictions further reinforced that I was on the right path. Being able to be an advocate for my fellow Indigenous people has been another motivator in my path towards medicine.
Why did you choose the UBC and the IMP?
I chose UBC as I have a number of friends who went there and highly recommended it. It’s also close to home (relatively) and they have a phenomenal Indigenous medicine program. I chose the IMP because I attended UVic for my bachelor’s degree in psychology. I built some great relationships within the First Peoples House here, and I love the area/campus.
What’s top on your bucket list?
I would love to travel to Europe. I took a lot of Greek/Roman studies as electives and I would love to see Italy. I crossed off skydiving this summer, which I would totally recommend.
Nastaran Moarefi
What inspired you to pursue our program?
Medicine is a hefty profession with an even stronger gravitational field. For the past eight years, I felt perpetually pulled toward its theory and practice, which proved to be quite the journey of self-discovery. In the end, I felt that medicine was the piece of the puzzle that best aligned with my personality and values, bringing me a considerable portion of the fulfillment I was seeking in life.
Why did you choose UBC and the IMP?
Aside from having close family in BC, I had lived in Ontario for about 10 years and – although there is much I treasure about that period in my life – I felt that I was due for a big change. I prefer learning and working in tight-knit communities where I get to develop real connections with peers and mentors, and UBC gave me just that! I was naturally drawn to the serenity and authenticity of the Island.
What’s top on your bucket list?
1) Become a physician I can be proud of
2) Become conversationally fluent in French, Spanish, and Korean in the next 10 years (gotta catch ‘em all!)
Meghan Harry
Hometown: Nanaimo, BC
What inspired you to pursue our program?
I have always loved science, but medicine grew on me over time. Initially, I learned about the world of medicine from being a patient. Thankfully, I have had many amazing physicians who inspired me to be where I am today. Completing my Bachelor of Science only further solidified my pursuit of the MD program. I really enjoyed the labs and learning about human genetic diseases. Graduating with my Bachelor of Education was the final piece because I realized that I could not tell my students to follow their passions if I did not do the same.
Why did you choose UBC and the IMP?
I have always lived in British Columbia. I was born in Prince Rupert and I grew up in Nanaimo. Therefore, it was natural to want to attend the UBC and the IMP. I also chose the IMP because of the class size and its proximity to family and friends.
What’s top on your bucket list?
I want to see the northern lights some day!
Kashif Ravasia
Hometown: Spokane, WA
What inspired you to pursue our program?
I took a roundabout path to medicine. I started my career in teaching and I quickly found a passion for mental health advocacy and social emotional learning. After a few years working as a resource teacher in the Supportive Learning Program, I realized that I really enjoyed leading teams and creating long-term plans but my ability to care for students’ mental and physical health needs was restricted by the scope of my role, and I decided I wanted to be part of the solution. Through this program, I hope to develop the medical leadership skills to transform how care is delivered to the most vulnerable populations in B.C., while also honing my ability to diagnose and treat conditions early in the disease course. As you can probably guess, psychiatry and pediatrics are my passions, but the more I think about medicine, the more excited I am to explore its varied and interconnected branches.
Why did you choose UBC and the IMP?
After building my social and professional life in BC, I had the great fortune of discovering that the closest school was also the best fit. I appreciate UBC’s emphasis on the holistic development of doctors not only as medical experts but also as caregivers and humanists, which is reflected in the diversity of expertise and lived experience within the student body. I also appreciate that the university has incorporated insights from psychology and educational research when designing the curriculum, and I am excited to learn through case-based modules, student-driven initiatives and integrated clinical experiences. In particular, the IMP combines the advantages of a big school, a small cohort and a beautiful place to learn. I feel so fortunate to be a part of the IMP class of 2026.
What’s top on your bucket list?
I’m an over-eager learner, so my go-to answers are shadowing a psychiatrist and assisting in surgery, but I’m also looking forward to hitting the slopes of Mt. Washington with some of my new classmates!
Veda Smith
Hometown: Saanichton, BC
What inspired you to pursue our program?
I have wanted to become a physician for as long as I can remember. It is the empathy, compassion, community involvement, and challenging roles taken on by physicians that inspired me to pursue this program. My recent work experience as a rural paramedic gave me invaluable insight into pre-hospital emergency medicine; more specifically, it exposed me to the inequities faced in rural communities as well as the impact that healthcare providers have on vulnerable people. These are two things I seek to improve and will find great reward in doing so. For these reasons and more, this program is a dream come true and I am so grateful to be here!
Why did you choose UBC and the IMP?
I’ve dreamed of attending the UBC IMP since I began looking into becoming a physician. Firstly, I was drawn to the UBC Faculty of Medicine as I strongly value their focus on respect, integrity, compassion, and holistically transforming health for all. Secondly, I was born and raised just outside of Victoria and I hope to build my own family here one day. Over the years I have been able to build very strong and meaningful connections with various people, organizations, and communities throughout Vancouver Island, and I hope to continue to strengthen those connections. Therefore, the UBC IMP was a no-brainer for me!
What’s top on your bucket list?
I recently travelled to Europe for the first time and backpacked through nice countries in a two-month span. I would have to say the top item on my bucket list is to go back to Europe for another backpacking trip through some of the countries I wasn’t able to get to (Turkey, Croatia, Greece, and many more)!
Sonora Godfrey
Hometown: Victoria, BC (lək̓ʷəŋən Territory)
What inspired you to pursue our program?
I have always been split between the arts and sciences, so I had a convoluted non-traditional route to medicine. I started in environmental architecture, followed by coding, and then left school to start an arts publishing business. Things fell into place when I found a summer role in outreach, where I loved the sense of community and focus on relationship building. I realized I liked the creativity of the arts but also the detail- and solution-oriented nature of software and calculus – and I was desperate to be in a helping profession where I could feel like I was contributing and I could connect with people one-on-one. My architectural interest turned out to be in a new field called the neuropsychiatry of art history, so I returned to school to write a thesis on best practices in psychiatric care space design. I began studying and working in urgent mental health care, such as USTAT-AOT, where I met a huge range of inspirational mental health and medical professionals. With the encouragement of physicians and mentors from diverse fields, I started to apply to medical school. I am more than thrilled to be here! In the past year, I had the honour of working with the Canadian Red Cross, Island Health’s Applied Research Unit, and primarily with the Office of the Provincial Health Officer, where I was privileged to immerse myself in an intensive antiracism workshop series. I am extremely grateful to have had such experiences and exposure to such talented and supportive people in different aspects of the healthcare system. It is a bit daunting to be a slightly older student, but these extra years and experiences feel like an excellent foundation for connecting with diverse patients and future humanistic medical practice.
Why did you choose UBC and the IMP?
I certainly did choose it – I broke all the conventional advice and only ever applied to UBC! I was drawn to this particular program’s reflection of the needs of the province, its distributed site model that keeps students connected with their roots, and its focus on progressive and humanistic medical practice. When the science requirements were removed, I was sure UBC was the place I wanted to be – not every school would consider a student who started in architecture and who stopped school to launch a business! I attended a very supportive seminar for prospective non-traditional applicants and I felt understood by UBC and the medical students I met there. Everyone has been consistently warm and supportive, and that culture is very important to me. Finally, I have extensive networks – from the arts to community groups to family and friends – on the Island. It’s important to me to practice here in the place I know best, where I have connections and understand the social problems specific to this area, and where I can directly serve the community that has given so much to me.
What’s top on your bucket list?
As excitement is mostly on-hold for the continuing pandemic, here are some completed bucket list items that I am particularly proud of and very lucky to have had: introducing Dr. Bonnie Henry to my bunny; seeing Iron Maiden live in London; learning Welsh while trapped in a garage in Snowdonia during a storm; creative-directing photoshoots that have graced international magazine covers; sharing a workplace with my father at the Ministry of Health, where I redecorated his office and took (adorable) dad-daughter coffee breaks; and sharing a university with my mother, who gifted me her UBC shirts from the 1970s.