Photo Credit: Melissa Fabrizio
Scott Stewart is graduating from the MD Program and beginning residency in internal medicine at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
What advice would you give to new students?
Specifically to the medical newbies, I would say: Take risks. As a medical student, no one has any expectations of you, so don't fear being wrong. Ask dumb questions. Be the first to throw out an answer to a difficult question. Volunteer to demonstrate techniques and ask for feedback. That drive to learn is what makes a good medical student great, and it's such a great skill to develop in every other aspect of your life.
How did you engage with student life on campus?
Medicine attracts go-getters, so it's no surprise that there are a lot of opportunities to involve yourself in med school. I got the chance to be a part of our orientation week committee, on which I met some of my closest friends and got to be a welcoming hand to the incoming year. I was also very fortunate to be one of the representatives for the Coffee with Clerks mentorship program. There's something really cool in being able to connect with your junior colleagues and take stock of how far you've come yourself. Finally, I worked for three years as our class representative for MedNite, our annual comedy show, which quickly became my passion (and, occasionally, a wee obsession). Being director in my fourth year was the hardest and most rewarding work I've ever done (except probably for the whole med school thing. That was good, too).
What was your favourite class during your program?
Before rotations started, my favourite block in med school was Cardiology. It's known in our program to be the first real hard-hitter in terms of material; it's very conceptual, challenging, and requires a lot of work. But it's the first time I ever really felt like a medical student, and it was really rad to see your hard work pay off come exam time. My love for that block carried into my clerkship, and now I've landed a challenging and fascinating residency where I can see that work pay off every day.
Who was your mentor or favourite professor?
My mentor was my varsity swimming coach. Bill Humby fostered an incredibly fun and supportive team, and always exemplified patience and perseverance. What I loved most about him was his ability to balance work and fun; his commitment and expertise to coaching went hand-in-hand with a love for bluegrass music and sunrises on the beach. Bill taught me to seek joy in everything I did, and pushed me to become my best self. I'm eternally grateful for his influence in my life.
What's next for you?
I'm moving to Vancouver to start my residency in internal medicine. Though I'm sad to leave my home of eight years, it was not so long ago that I moved to Edmonton from Calgary to start my first year of undergrad at the U of A. It's impossible to describe what I've gained here, so it is with a smile on my face that I start my next big adventure!