“The passion of Dr. Alia Dharamsi, a recent graduate from UBC’s MD program, lies in alleviating hunger and promoting proper nutrition. She is the President and Founder of Meal Exchange UBC – a national, youth-driven charity that engages, educates and mobilizes youth to work with their communities to alleviate hunger locally and achieve food security. This program has reached into more than 100 communities across Canada and generated more than $3M worth of food. Dr. Dharamsi also mentors and tutors students in inner city schools sharing her love of math and science and tying it to the importance nutrition plays in learning.” – Doctors of BC
Recently, Dr. Dharamsi was awarded one of the first ever Doctors of BC Change Maker Awards, which recognizes winners for their work in improving the health care system for patients and those who work in it. The awards were created and funded by Barry Turchen, a member of the Doctors of BC Board of Directors and chair of the group’s Council on Public Affairs and Communications. We asked the promising young physician what this honour means to her and how she hopes to continue her work helping the patients to whom she is so committed. Congratulations, Dr. Dharamsi and best of luck to you as you begin your residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Toronto!
Describe what it means to be awarded Doctors of BC’s first-ever change maker award?
What a year this has been! Between doing amazing electives across the country, finding my true passion (Emergency Medicine), meeting hundreds of amazing medical students through CaRMS, and surviving “the match,” 4th year brought many changes and many adventures! To cap it all off, it means so much to me to know that I have the support of the Doctors of BC as I venture forward as a resident. To have been included in such distinguished company such as the recipients of the Doctors of BC Lifetime Service Award, and various other excellence awards is truly humbling. I can only hope to fill the shoes of such extraordinary physicians over the course of my medical career and lifetime.
What drives your passion in medicine?
Throughout medical school I discovered new areas of interest like global health advocacy, social media and its application to medical education, and the interrelationship between socioeconomic status and health, to name a few. The mentors and role models I have met along the way have helped me to delve into these niches, and start carving my own path in medicine in a meaningful, well-rounded way. My interest in medicine was rooted in my work with various not-for-profit organizations interested in addressing food insecurity and poverty on local, national, and international scales. Throughout medicine I have found new ways to bring what I learn through the interests and involvements I have outside of medicine, into my clinical work. I am especially interested in how access to basic human rights (ie education, food, safety, housing, and healthcare) affects the health of individuals and populations locally and internationally. This has fuelled my passion for Emergency Medicine, especially as I hope to continue my studies in global health throughout my residency and internationally though global health initiatives.
Which patients do you hope to help most in your practice?
I am drawn to Emergency Medicine because it allows me to provide emotional, psychological, and medical support to people in times of crisis. As we all know, the emergency department is open 24/7, 365 days a year, and for many individuals across the country, the emergency room is a place of safety and an access point for much needed resources and assistance. Knowing that I can be a source of support, compassion, and understanding for families in very critical moments in the emergency department means that I get to provide not only medical care, but also social care. I have worked in schools, community centers, shelters and counselling centers across Canada and internationally, and I am able to bring those skills into my daily work in the emergency department.
How do you see yourself as an advocate for your peers, patients or community? In what ways have you tried to make changes?
As a new member to the medical community I feel like collectively there are waves of innovation and positive change that are expanding the scope and impact of medicine on society. My specific interests in social media as a tool for medical innovation and education development is one area where I feel there is going to be real change over the course of my residency. Be it through podcasts, twitter, academic blog sites, and online support groups for patients, social media is changing the way we learn, teach, and interact with medicine. I see social media as a tool for connecting ideas irrespective of geographic separation, and as a learner it allows me to engage in discussion and idea sharing with other students, residents and attendings from around the world. Through social media I am also able to engage on a deeper level with areas of interest—food insecurity, poverty, access to basic determinants of health—and meet other healthcare professionals and allied health workers who have ideas to share. Social media has allowed me to advocate for the issues about which I am passionate, as well as learn more about these issues from experts around the world. Over the course of residency I hope to find innovative ways to learn and teach medicine through social media, as well as create social media content that can improve the quality of medical education in Canada.
What advice do you have for future physicians who want to make a difference in their communities?
Our jobs provide us with infinite opportunities to impact people’s lives. We all have different interests and different skill sets. I really believe that what will bring the best patient care is if we all strive to use those passions and skills to advance medicine. As young physicians we have ideas and visions for what we hope medicine will look like in 5, 10, 20, 50 years…and I think we are the best people to make that vision a reality.