Interview: Changes

By: Kimberley Yuen, Meds 2022
I interviewed a medical student from each year and asked them some questions about their medical school journey thus far.

Brenna Han, 2023
What were you doing last year?
I was working at a research lab at Western as a lab coordinator – it was my “year off” while I applied to med school.

How do you think you’ve grown from last year to where you are now?
Now I’m less afraid of making mistakes, not knowing an answer, and uncertainty. But last year I played it very safe because I was applying [for medical school], and for interviews I really couldn’t be as risky. But now because of this supportive environment I’m not scared to be first in clinical skills, needing help, asking people questions and things like that. I would say that’s the biggest difference – being more comfortable with taking risks and being uncertain of things.

Is med school what you expected it to be?
It’s better! QMed is definitely better than what I expected it to be. It’s more supportive.

What do you think next year is going to be like?
Hmm. Maybe I’ll care less about day to day classes and more about clerkship and looking towards long term goals (what kind of physician am I going to be, how can I be a better physician) vs. short term goals (eg. passing a final).

Favourite thing so far this year?
The people in my class. We have a really good class. We’re all extremely supportive of each other and we hype each other up so much. I think we have a very unique group of people but we all vibe really well together. We’re very receptive to learning from each other and not being afraid to make mistakes or ask each other for help. I think that’s honestly the best thing.

3 words to describe your med school journey so far:
"unexpected, spirited, inspiring"

Anything else you would like to share?
There have been times (especially before a bellringer) when I’m having the worst imposter syndrome – I’m hoping by next year I’ll be able to work on that. I’m coming from a non-traditional science background and I think I’m one of the only ones in my class, making it a little isolating as I’ve never done anatomy before. I’m hoping next year I won’t be experiencing that and I’ll be more caught up. It’s not too bad, but lab is definitely difficult for me.


Alessandro Ricci, 2022
What were you doing last year? How was it
Last year I was in first year. Initially I found the excitement of being in med school to overshadow what I’m doing here and I found it really hard to shake that. I felt like I was still in undergrad and approached studying for classes the same way. Plus socially, I found a group of people that I related to the most and that initially was overwhelming because you spend your whole life trying to get to a place and sacrifice a lot to get there. There were gaps in my social life and support network and I found redirecting energy to filling those holes to be very very fulfilling. I feel like in first year I most strongly of the social aspect rather than academic.

How do you think you've grown from last year to where you are now?
Now I realize I’m going to be in the hospital next year and that changes the way I see things and study, in the sense that I study now thinking about what a patient would look like. I consolidate things based on how someone would present; studying like a clinician rather than an undergrad. I've also changed the way I look at failure as I now see failure as an essential part of this. I want to fail now so I don’t fail when I’m in the hospital, so I’m no longer as terrified of saying the wrong thing or making a mistake.

What do you think next year is going to be like?
Not scared at all. I'm actually very excited and I think that I’m excited not to be nervous anymore about clinical encounters because when I’m in clerkship I’ll be seeing a lot of patients. I usually get a little nervous in clin skills, but when I'm in the hospital I can learn the lifestyle. I love thinking about clinical problems and working through to the diagnosis. That combined with talking to patients, being constantly around people and treating people and clinical problems is the perfect combo (patient contact, critical thinking, learning).

Is med school what you expected it to be?
No not at all. In first year I was constantly surprised by everything and not knowing what the hell is going on in class or clin skills. I didn’t even know what med school would be like anyways. Now I understand it’s a very long training period (unlike a restaurant in one month you can be a server) but to be a doctor it’s 8 years and I look at it that way.

3 words to describe your med school journey so far?
"Thoughtful, growth, challenging."

Anything else you’d like to share?
It’s important to find your people. And it’s important to take this stuff seriously.

Craig Rodrigues, 2021
What were you doing last year and how was it?
I liked second year a lot; the year was fast paced because every 6 weeks or so I immersed myself in a completely different organ system and specialty. When I was in first year, upper years told me that every specialty portrayed a different personality. I enjoyed looking for this during new blocks—I could definitely see it with some of the professors that showed up to teach us!
Outside of school I held a council position that allowed me to travel to different cities, towns and meet medical students I’d otherwise never get the chance to meet. 

How have you grown from last year to where you are now?
Back in undergrad and even in first year med I tended to compartmentalize things. I’d say my student life was basically school-work, social stuff, working-out (usually in that order). 
Having this mindset definitely worked for me in undergrad, but it usually meant when one element was more demanding—for example if a midterm was coming up—the other elements would suffer.
Given that my student life is nowhere near done, especially with clerkship, residency and their associated assessments and workload, I thought it would serve me better to integrate my life a bit more. So in second year (and now while in clerkship) I try to be more flexible with my work-life balance. Sometimes it’s hard and I’m not the best at it… But I have noticed that I’ve started to balance things a bit better than I did in undergrad, and that’s a plus!

​What do you think next year is going to be like?
Exciting and nerve-wracking. While electives are meant to focus on your learning experience and career exploration, in many ways they’re also try-outs for a program. I’ve heard some of my friends in fourth year mention phrases like “being constantly on” or “trying to see if you can fit”. Just like most educational/career steps in the past, with a good support system, knowledge base and adaptable mindset I feel like I’ll eventually settle into the expectations and culture of elective season and CARMS. For now, it’s all heavily anticipated!

Is medical school what you expected it to be? 
I didn’t have much to do the summer before medical school, so I honestly thought about a lot! To answer the question, in many ways its a yes and no. Before o-week, a large portion of my anticipation surrounded my pre-clerkship years. I mainly focused and by extension created expectations about being in school, making new friends and learning how to learn medicine. I didn’t really think about the clerkship years and what it would be like being a new learner in the hospital. The growth and independence you gain when you’re placed in a new environment where you’re called to meet new teachers, learn vast amounts of knowledge on the fly and adapt to a new work environment all while being assessed is something that’s hard to justifiably explain to people that aren’t in medicine. It’s an unexpected ride and definitely something I’m enjoying so far.

Favorite thing so far this year?
The goodbye party some of our friends had after the White Coat ceremony, before everyone left for their regional sites!

3 words to describe your med school journey so far
"Challenging, Doable, Formative"

Anything else you’d like to share?
If you have any q’s about clerkship hit me up! [email protected]

Ramita Verma, 2020
What were you doing last year/how was it?
I spent last year completing the bulk of clerkship. To say it was a rollercoaster would be an understatement. 
 
How do you think you've grown from last year to where you are now?
I think last year may have been the steepest learning curve I have had to date. From a professional perspective, clerkship took me from being a classroom learner to bona fide doctor. All of a sudden when I read a patient stem on exams, I can think of someone who presented similarly. Things started to stick a bit more once I saw a patient and family who had the condition. Clerkship is also where I started to feel a bit less like a student and more like a working professional. Learning to meal prep, exercise, see friends and family, keep mentally well, while reading around cases and keeping up with professional responsibilities (and assignments) was a new balancing act. 

What do you think next year is going to be like?
CaRMS! I think it's going to be busy and exciting. I'm applying to Family Medicine and could not be more excited to transition to residency. I am heartbroken to think about parting ways from my 2020s. 

Is med school what you expected it to be?
I'm not sure what I expected when I got in since it was so long ago. The answer is probably not. I don't think I knew what medicine was when I got in or even until a year ago. 

Favourite thing so far this year?
Electives - I took advantage of this time to learn about things that genuinely interest me that I didn't get to see during core rotations and this brought a lot of inspiration to what I see my professional career lining up to be. This and sharing 'clerkship stories' with my friends. 

3 words to describe your med school journey so far?
"Humbling. Community. Growth."

Anything else you'd like to share?
While going through medical school, I encourage you to think about the hidden curriculum and how this influences us. If you don't know what this means, talk to your peers (or upper years) about it. As my time at Queen's comes to an end, I think the most valuable trait of our school I've realized is our community and collegiality with classmates and other years. The way my peers and I have supported each other through the last few years makes me confident that they'll all be not only brilliant doctors but incredibly caring towards the patients and families they treat. Stay humble. Ask questions. Keep an open mind. Be kind.