Convocation spotlight: MD '23 grad Stephanie Dalmer

MD '23 grad Stephanie Dalmer. Photo: U of A Office of the Registrar.

What initially drew you to this area of study?

It happened when I was a six-year-old watching a caesarian section on TV. It’s tough to describe a child’s awe but imagine a slack jaw, wide eyes and pure delight.

Afterwards, it was the sense that I was made for it. I felt called to medicine, and it seemed to fit with my built-in fascination with science combined with my deep conviction that my career should be something that serves people in vulnerable situations.

What achievement, accomplishment or moment are you most proud of from your time in the program?

There were some satisfying toenail removals and baby deliveries are always awesome, but I think I am proudest of my work promoting interdisciplinarity in medicine.

I was able to work with the AHHM (Arts & Humanities in Health & Medicine) program to create a student committee that organized arts-related initiatives for medical students. We had such fun events like a big holiday bake-off (virtual because of the pandemic), a tutorial on how to draw for your patients, and a Med at the Movies series where we watched films and then talked about their connections to medicine with an expert panel and collaborations that made an Indigenous paint night and pathology paint night possible.

I also was able to work as the visualization artist for an international group studying forced sterilization and coerced contraception, witnessing their incredible research process that utilized healing methodologies and being immersed in the powerful stories of loss and resilience told by women from around the world.

What was the biggest challenge you faced?

Medical school sometimes made me feel alone, intimidated, not smart enough and afraid of what was to come. Despite the physical challenge of rigorous study and hospital work, these emotional challenges were the biggest of all.

How did you stay motivated and who helped you keep going when things got tough?

My faith was absolutely essential. I felt God whispering these messages to me, words that totally went against what I was feeling:
“You are loved.”
“You are never alone.”
“I have called you to this and will help you.”
“I value you, so it does not matter what your classmates or preceptors think.”
“Remember the patients; remember what this is all about.”

That last one, remembering the human beings that I was interacting with and my purpose for being there (to make people feel seen and heard and loved in their worst moments) was so helpful during 6 a.m. surgery rounds, and at the family medicine clinic seeing a difficult patient, and on call when I was woken up at 2 a.m. to see someone in crisis.

I also found that connecting with other medical students made me feel supported and made the difficulties seem smaller.

And finally, having a community of family and friends outside of medicine helped me maintain perspective and think bigger picture.

What advice would you give to a student thinking of entering this program of study/specialization?

Don’t worry if you think you look different than the stereotypical medical student! We are all human beings from different backgrounds and every voice is important. And if you are still deciding on an undergraduate degree to take before medicine… take something that will thrill you, that will equip you, and consider a degree that will allow you to appreciate the human beings that we are working with and for in healthcare. I wish you all the best and feel free to reach out for advice or encouragement!

What have you learned about yourself, and how will you use this going forward?

I have learned that I am not special. I am not special for being in medical school. I am not special for graduating. I am a person like everyone else who has received this privilege thanks to God and my community and who has the responsibility to give back. I hope remembering this will help me interact with colleagues and patients in a healthy way, with joy and gratefulness, with a heart always open to learning, and with pride and patronizing thrown out the window.

What comes next for you in your career/academic journey?

I matched to family medicine at the U of A (YAAAAY) and am stoked to grow as a physician, to address the needs of Albertans who are so desperate for someone to care for them during this shortage of family doctors. I am also excited to see how my background in art can seep through my practice and my research and inspire creative approaches to tough problems! (For example, FOMAC — Future of Medicine Art Competition — for rural Albertan teens to encourage engagement in their medical community. Check it out at fomacalberta.ca)