BHSc Alumni Spotlight

Favorite BHSc Memory

During one of my courses in third year, my friends and I were required to make a movie as a final project. Of course, we went above and beyond by adding special effects and filming in several locations throughout Calgary, AB over a period of weeks. Looking back, I will always miss the camaraderie and happiness that came from taking a routine group assignment and creating what we believed, and still believe, to be a cinematic masterpiece. In the years since graduation, some of us have moved away and others have moved back; but the friendships built along the way will always remain strong. 

Looking back, what advice would you give yourself as a student?

I would tell myself to stop worrying so much. I recall stressing about marks on a small quiz, minor career decisions, and the perceptions of my fellow students. In retrospect, these things never really mattered. Simply put, what ended up being important, was working hard, being nice to people, and caring about doing a good job. Investing too much time worrying about non-factors might take away from enjoying the enriching experiences of being a student. My time in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program would have been better if I worried less and experienced more. 

What is the best thing about your current job?

Late-night heart surgery. As a cardiac surgery resident, I regularly participate in emergency heart surgery on patients who are very ill. Membership within an exclusive club of highly specialized and technically gifted surgeons means that I can help deliver life-saving operations in risk-laden clinical situations. It’s a career that takes a lot from you but remains incredibly rewarding. The best thing about my job is that I get to help rebuild hearts for people when they need us the most. 

How has your career evolved?

My career has become narrower and more specialized. As a trainee, I continue to learn and practice the breadth of cardiac surgery. However, I am now exploring areas of specialization within the field of cardiac surgery such as heart and lung transplantation, mitral valve surgery, and minimally invasive cardiac surgery. My research career has also become more focused. After my graduate degree in statistics, I am evolving into a clinical outcomes researcher with a focus on the statistical emulation of clinical trials as they pertain to cardiac surgery. By using mathematical techniques for estimating how certain reference populations would behave, we might be able to approximate the results of surgical trials without actually having to perform them. Though my career continues to evolve, the core concepts imparted during my BHSc degree will endure on. 

How did your BHSc degree help you get to your current career?

My undergraduate degree was essential to establishing a strong research foundation. The courses and lectures placed me very much “ahead of the game” in areas such as grant writing, study design, and statistical inference. When it came time to apply these skills, research became something easy and natural to do. The BHSc Mentorship Program was critical to my career because it created multiple contacts for career advice, research opportunities, academic support. 

What is the best advice you have received during your career?

In 2017, the year that I graduated from the BHSc program, the late Dr. George Wyse gave his Lecture of a Lifetime at the University of Calgary. One of his recommendations: Take Risks. 

Looking back, I was always worried about asking questions because of what professors might think or making suggestions because of what colleagues might say. When I walked into the office of a prominent interventional cardiologist and asked for Honors Thesis supervision, or as a medical student when I worked with the most nationally-recognized cardiac surgeon in Canada on a research project idea, or as a resident when I completed research with the one of the most accomplished surgeons at the Massachusetts General Hospital, I took risks – and every single one paid off. I was blessed with excellent mentorship, sound guidance, and unwavering support. 

A large part of my career thus far is owed to that advice – take risks.