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Student Stories

 

At Western Medicine & Dentistry, students are at the heart of our drive towards excellence. And that excellence is clearly reflected in the commitment and dedication of the hundreds of undergraduate, graduate, medical and dental students who are part of our Faculty. Here are some of their stories.

WESTERN GRADUATES 120TH MEDICAL CLASS -SOME OF CANADA'S OUTSTANDING FUTURE DOCTORS

George Kim

George Kim:
Family doctor to settle in rural community, make family proud

When class valedictorian George Kim celebrated convocation, he carried the hopes and dreams of his entire family into his career as a rural family doctor. "I may be the one walking across the stage to accept my degree but I'm definitely not walking alone," says George.

 

The eldest son of Korean immigrants, George says it has been his parents' constant support and encouragement that has propelled him to success. "I think it's every immigrant parent's dream to see their children succeed," says George, who is the first person in his family to receive a university degree, let alone a medical degree. "My parents took a big risk coming to Canada and starting a new life. They are seeing that investment pay off now."

George came to Western because he wanted to be a rural family doctor. His excitement and passion for the practice of medicine is infectious. "I wanted to be part of a community - to have that feeling of family, " says George about his desire to practise in a smaller Ontario town. "But I also want to be an advocate to help guide people through the complex health system."

George will enter the rural family medicine residency program at Western this year. Eventually, he and his wife, a public health nurse, hope to settle in a Southwestern Ontario community.

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Mark Baumgartner:
Doctor learns patient experience first hand

When Mark Baumgartner began medical school, he knew he was going to learn what it was like to be a doctor. He didn't expect to learn what it was like to be a patient. But in November of his first year, during clinical training, Mark discovered early symptoms of Hodgkin's lymphoma - a cancer of the immune system.

"I was really lucky that I was here in medical school and able to catch it early," says Mark, who underwent staging and radiation therapy throughout the remainder of first year. Hodgkin's disease is curable - but the treatment forces the patient to battle difficult side effects. "I wouldn't have been able to make it through first year without my family, the faculty, my friends and classmates. They really carried me through."

 

Mark continued through medical school with a drive to succeed and an ambition to contribute to the health system, particularly through use of advanced information technology. As he heads into family medicine training at the University of Ottawa, he looks forward to continuing his work on health informatics and creating what he calls "the black bag of the 21st century." But he says he will always carry his own health experience with him, wherever he practises.

 

"It was an eye-opening experience. I truly saw the other side of the health care equation, which has given me an invaluable insight of medicine from a patient's standpoint," says Mark. "I understand now how much of a privilege it is to be trusted with someone else's wellbeing."

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Sameena Uddin:
Advocate for social justice aspires to change health system

Sameena Uddin's passion for science and medicine is surpassed only for her passion for social justice and community advocacy.The feisty medical graduate from North Bay, Ontario, says she is motivated by her academic dreams but also by her need to give back. In addition to volunteering with the Sexual Assault Centre, she continues to help spread awareness about other important causes.

In first year, Sameena and a classmate, Wendy Lai, started "Beyond Borders," a seminar series for medical students to address issues such as medicine in the developing world, social diversity, international issues and other topics not typically covered in the curriculum. The success of the program has inspired Sameena and Wendy to direct an ambitious research project looking at how advocacy can be integrated into the medical curriculum.

"Physicians have a big role, not only as caregivers, but as community leaders," says Sameena. "Health is a core need and right for everyone - no matter their background - so doctors really have a moral responsibility to be informed and to act as advocates for their patients."

Sameena will complete her residency in general surgery at McMaster University and hopes to return to a smaller community in northern Ontario, perhaps one day securing an academic position at the new Northern Ontario Medical School.

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Abdel-Rahman Lawendy:
Muslim role model continues journey

At age 19, Abdel Rahman Lawendy travelled to war-torn Sarajevo as a United Nations volunteer. At age 21, he cycled across Canada to raise awareness and more than $20,000 for the Bosnian relief effort. He continues to speak across Canada about the importance of peace and the power of people to effect change. Recently, Abdel celebrated another milestone in his life journey to help people - graduating from medical school.

"When I was volunteering in the former Yugoslavia, I had the opportunity to see what doctors were doing there and the immediate impact they had on so many lives," says Abdel. "I wanted to do something with my own knowledge and skills and help people in the same way."

Born & raised in Waterloo, Ontario, Abdel has not only become a role model and advocate for Muslim Canadians, but for other Canadians who may be marginalized. "There are 35,000 Muslim people in London, but they are not very involved or connected to the medical community. Also, there are very few visible medical professionals of Muslim background. I want to be an advocate for them and others who may be marginalized, and I want to help my colleagues understand their unique health care needs."

Following graduation, Abdel will begin a five-year residency in Orthopedics at Western. He hopes to settle in a smaller Ontario community when his training is complete, and continue with his important advocacy work.

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Heather Cox:
Future surgeon promotes accessibility for all

With a degree in biotechnology and a background in biomechanical engineering, there was no question Heather Cox would be successful in any career path she chose. But her interest in preventative health care and her passion for people inspired her to go into medicine. Now she wants everyone to have that same opportunity, regardless of ethnicity or cultural background.

"Being a physician is a fantastic career - it's flexible, stable, financially secure and a reasonable option for everyone," says Heather. "But I was concerned that there were so few black students applying for medical school and participating in interviews. In first year, I looked around and discovered I was the only black student in my class."

Over her four years here, Heather has worked with the Western's Black Students' Association to promote medicine to undergraduate students through career days. But she stresses that she is promoting accessibility for all visible minorities, not just those of African-American heritage. "This country needs physicians of any and every background right now," says Heather. "I try to tell people that it is truly an option for them - and not to discard it."

Heather will enter her five-year residency in general surgery in Calgary. Afterwards, she plans to work in an urban Canadian centre, be involved in teaching medical school, and further pursue her interests in working overseas in developing countries.

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Sean Dukelow:
First MD/PhD combines passions for research and practice

Sean Dukelow started his long path to convocation exactly seven years ago and is the first candidate to graduate from the Faculty's new concurrent MD/PhD program.

 

He can now officially call himself "Doctor Doctor," Sean jokes. He received his PhD in 2002, but had one year of medical school to complete. This combined path has allowed Sean to pursue both his thirst for medical knowledge through research and his desire to help people through clinical work. It has been a long journey - but one he says was worth all the effort.

Sean will pursue a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Queen's University, where he will also continue his research interest in studying the brain and how it functions. He hopes to be an academic physician who artfully juggles his passion for teaching, research and seeing patients - the kind of doctor that is becoming more and more scarce in Canada.

"There is a need there that I would like to fill," says Sean. "This is what I want to do, and how I think I can contribute best to society."

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To suggest a story, or for more information, contact:

Kris Dundas,
Media Relations Officer,
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
The University of Western Ontario

phone: (519) 661-2111 ext. 86415
email: kris.dundas@schulich.uwo.ca