With graduation drawing near, we thought it would be interesting to meet some of this year’s Vancouver Fraser Medical Program (VFMP) graduates. We asked them about themselves, their medical school experiences and what the future holds for them.
Stefanie Elliott-Gordo
What have you enjoyed the most about your MD Undergraduate experience?
I enjoyed meeting new people and making friends, whom I hope to keep in touch with. Clerkship was busy, but it was great to experience medicine and working with other disciplines and patients.
What has surprised or challenged you in medical school?
How much I liked everything and trying to figure out what type of medicine to practice was one of the most challenging things I found. The other was finding stamina to keep going and learning to find balance in life.
What advice would you offer to upcoming students in the UBC MD program?
Enjoy the small moments with patients, because that’s what makes it worth the stress and studying. Also, try to see things from a patient’s perspective.
What’s next for you?
I’m going to get married this summer and then start my Psychiatry Residency in Vancouver at St. Paul’s Hospital.
David Mongar
What have you enjoyed the most about your MD Undergraduate experience?
My favourite part of medical school has been how much we’ve all grown and changed over the past four years. Looking around at my colleagues, whom I shared PBL groups, ORs, and even the stage with, I’m constantly blown away by the passion and the talent that surrounds me.
What has surprised or challenged you in medical school?
I was flabbergasted to learn that starting medical school wouldn’t mean sacrificing every other element of my life for the next four years. Sure I’ve never learned more, but I can also honestly say I’ve never lived more than during this pivotal time in my life.
What advice would you offer to upcoming students in the UBC MD program?
You never need to sacrifice who you are, or what you love (or whom you love, for that matter), on the road to graduation. In fact, the things that seem to “cut into study time” are the very things which will not only keep you sane, but also land you the residency you want. It’s everything that you can’t write down in an exam that will make you a great doctor.
What’s next for you?
I was so happy to be offered a spot in the Vancouver Fraser Family Medicine Program, where I’ll be joining a brilliant community of residents and staff at Royal Columbian Hospital for the next two years. One of my primary focuses will be on providing maternity care as a family doc. I’m tremendously excited to deliver hordes of babies, and welcome them into the world as well as my patient roster.
Megan Neufeld
What have you enjoyed the most about your MD Undergraduate experience?
I have definitely enjoyed the people the most – classmates, residents, preceptors and more importantly, patients. I have met some phenomenal people throughout my training – people who inspire me to constantly better myself and who have provided me with invaluable mentorship and support. After taking 2 maternity leaves in medical school, I have been a member of 3 different classes. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know so many trainees in medicine and I know that this will serve me and my patients well in the future.
What has surprised or challenged you in medical school?
I have been most challenged by having to balance a family life as a wife and mother of 2 young children and a professional life in medicine. There just rarely seems to be enough hours in a day for these to co-exist. What has surprised me though, is how much becoming a parent has enhanced my ability to be a physician. Before having kids, this concept hadn’t even crossed my mind. I use my time more efficiently, stay more organized, relate more easily with children and families and the list goes on. I come home to their smiling faces at the end of the day and they give me balance, perspective and resilience in a field that can often be difficult to navigate. This has been well beyond what I could have imagined.
What advice would you offer to upcoming students in the UBC MD program?
Get as much exposure as you can early in your training. Shadow, shadow, shadow and ask lots of questions! Always strive to be kind, approachable and diligent. I have noticed that the most remarkable physicians, residents and medical students have these qualities. At times you might lose sight of these things among exams, sleepless nights, never ending consults and early surgery start times. With this comes the importance of staying balanced and making time for yourself and the things you love. Medicine can be all-consuming if you let it so reflect often, especially when it seems most difficult. You will learn a lot about yourself and your limits, but also about how strong you are to keep going on this glorified journey.
What’s next for you?
We are off to Ottawa where I will be doing my residency in Family Medicine. We are all very excited for the adventure ahead and are looking forward to exploring and settling into our new community.
Ali Moghaddamjou
What have you enjoyed the most about your MD Undergraduate experience?
The most rewarding and enjoyable experience came in my fourth year of the program when I had the chance to travel across the country doing electives in six different cities. During this period I was doing rotations in electives of my choosing geared towards my interests and strengths while having the opportunity to explore parts of our country that I would not otherwise get the chance to see.
What has surprised or challenged you in medical school?
The most challenging part of medical school for me was the transition between the pre-clincal academic focused years to the clinical based third year. I went into medical school for the clinical experience and was eager to start my rotations. However, the first few rotations were challenging. I specifically remember spending 45 minutes on my first day doing a discharge dictation something that would take me 5-10 minutes to do now. Looking back, I feel like the first two years did, in fact, prepare us well for clerkship and the challenging transition is unavoidable and a necessity.
What advice would you offer to upcoming students in the UBC MD program?
Acquire as much clinical exposure as you can early on with an open mind in order to aid you in your choice of residency. Your focus should always be in acquiring the knowledge and the confidence to manage patients and not just passing tests and evaluations as the real test is on the wards and in the operating rooms.
What’s next for you?
I will be starting the next chapter of my life in July as a neurosurgery resident at the University of Toronto.