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BMSc grad embraces the power of perspective shift
By Cam Buchan
Her name was Erin, and for six-year-old Luke Aprile, the anesthesiologist was a shining light on an otherwise scary day.
Diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis, a chronic inflammatory condition of the esophagus, Aprile needed an endoscopy. He remembers Erin holding his hand and telling jokes as they walked down the hall.
“From that moment on, I thought, ‘I want to be that ‘Erin’ for someone else,’” said Aprile, whose mother, a nurse, also inspired him.
Now graduating from Schulich Medicine & Dentistry with an Honours BMSc in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (IMS), Aprile reflects on the lessons that shaped him – especially the realization that life rarely unfolds the way a six-year-old imagines it will.
One of those lessons came during the IMS capstone course, Community Engaged Learning and Research, created by Sarah McLean, PhD.
“My best experience was that capstone course,” said Aprile, who partnered with the Canadian Health Information Management Association during the program. “It taught me to consider equity, diversity and inclusion in delivering care and the importance of understanding a patient’s perspective.”
But what stands out most is winning the President’s Challenge with teammates Jenna Diab and Darren Porciello. They were among more than 200 students tasked with solving one of Canada’s most pressing issues: long wait times for specialist referrals. With a median wait time of nearly 28 weeks, Canada ranks at the bottom of 11 high-income countries.
Their solution? Referra-Link – a software concept that streamlines referrals through a centralized pool to prevent uneven patient distribution.
Working with Katie Herbert, CEO and co-founder of Healthkind, the team not only won the $10,000 grand prize but gained invaluable insights along the way. Now, they’re refining the concept, and Aprile is energized by its entrepreneurial potential.
“The possibility of making this real is incredibly motivating,” he said.
Looking ahead, Aprile is inspired by the people he’s met along the way. “I've had so many great mentors in the health-care field. And they love and cherish it, and they get to do good,” he said. “I would just love to do that as well.”
But if there’s one word that now defines the once-determined six-year-old, it’s today.
“When I started medical sciences, I had one goal – get into med school. I picked courses, joined clubs and chased grades with that outcome in mind,” said Aprile. “Everything was about tomorrow.”
But slowly, his perspective shifted.
“I saw medical sciences as a straight line, instead of what it is: a maze. Each day brings something new – a class, a conversation, a challenge – that can reshape where you’re headed,” said Aprile, who will be working on Referra-Link after graduation. “Tomorrow shouldn’t be fixed. It should grow from the lessons and experiences of today.”