The curious Terrence Donnelly Heath Sciences Complex consists of a bustling student life and lifelong experiences.

Amidst the unique and innovative buildings at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), there sits a curious silver building between the Communication, Culture, and Technology and Davis buildings: the Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex (TDHSC). Opened in 2011, the building was named after benefactor Terrence Donnelly, an advocate for health care improvements and supporter of medical research and patient care. The four-story building is home to multiple departments and graduate studies on campus. Two floors are dedicated to the biomedical communications graduate program, as well as the undergraduate department of anthropology—including its offices and research labs. The majority of the TDHSC is dedicated to the Mississauga Academy of Medicine (MAM), which is one of four academies as part of U of T’s MD program.

Each academy—FitzGerald Academy, Mississauga Academy of Medicine, Peters-Boyd Academy, and Wightman-Berris Academy—comprises a cluster of affiliated hospitals where medical school students obtain their education and experience. Accepted medical school students are assigned to each academy based on their preference and availability. Prospective students commonly apply to the MD program in their third or fourth year of undergraduate studies. All applications are completed through the Ontario Medical School Application Service, where one application is submitted for U of T’s MD program.

Dr. Sarah McClennan is the academy director of MAM, one of four academy directors at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and an emergency physician at Trillium Health Partners. She shares that students take one of four pathways when applying: the MD/PhD program, the Black Student Application Program, Indigenous Student Application Program, and the general pathway. Following application review and interviews, roughly 250 students are accepted into the MD program each year, and only 54 of those students are selected to join the MAM.

Dr. Prem Nichani, a recent graduate of the U of T MD program and MAM, is a Ophthalmology resident in the Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Sciences at U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine. Born and raised in Toronto, Dr. Nichani chose to complete his undergraduate studies at Laurier University due to its community-like atmosphere and optimal opportunities. He became interested in pursuing medicine following a familial history of illnesses. While having the preference of attending the downtown MD program, he was selected to attend MAM. Dr. Nichani ultimately believes that this was the best decision for his career trajectory.

“First, I am happy to be at U of T, [and] second, I am happier that I was given the opportunity to be at Mississauga,” says. Dr. Nichani. “[MAM] offers the best of both worlds. [The] opportunities at Mississauga are unlike any other.” While MAM still offers the same curriculum as the one in downtown Toronto, it gives students more opportunities for direct interactions with faculty in hospitals and hands-on learning. Chosen as the class co-president for four years, Dr. Nichani found additional opportunities to interact with the faculty downtown as well.

In their first year, MAM students have group lectures that are broadcasted from either of the two locations. Medical students can see their peers at the other locations and participate live. The first two years of medical school include small-group learning, where case-based learning—applying knowledge to real-world scenarios—is emphasized. Students also learn clinical skills in a hospital setting. At MAM, students complete their medical training at the three Trillium Health Partners hospital locations.

According to Dr. McClennan, the academy director of MAM, the local faculty at MAM is made of physicians that are appointed with the U of T MD program. In their third year, students do their clerkship, a practice that requires them to be at the hospital full-time. Here, they complete rotations in hospital units such as emergency, internal medicine, and psychiatry. In their fourth year, they take electives in additional institutions to gain experience in the field they are interested in. This opportunity allows them to build networks as well.

“Being a doctor is one thing, but now you are deciding what type of doctor you want to be,” explains Dr. Nichani. Some examples of electives include transition to residency (doctors in training), ethical dilemma, diversity, and inclusion.

“Part of being in medical school [is being a part of the] medical student society. [There are] numerable clubs including sports, advocacy groups, and leadership opportunities,” explains Dr. McClennan. “One of the benefits of being in Mississauga is the best of both worlds: get [the] local community feel with all the opportunities available at downtown.”

A variety of clubs are offered for medical students at MAM such as teaching opportunities, and homeless and cancer initiatives. Students also take part in creative endeavors such as DaffyDil: The Musical, a theatrical production written, produced, directed, and performed by the Faculty of Medicine students. This creative outlet raises money and donates it to the Canadian Cancer Society, now raising more than $600,000.

While research during medical school is not needed, it is recommended. Students can work with research coordinators at MAM and take part in research that best suits them. Dr. Nichani strongly encourages students to take part in research: “[The] only way innovation progresses in medicine is through research.”

After earning their MD degree, MAM graduates apply for residency positions through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) to continue their training. Dr. McClennan shares that the CaRMS match is done well, where 96 per cent of students are matched to the program of their choice. However, acceptance depends on their clinical experience, research activities, activities making up their curriculum vitae, as well as evaluation received from superiors in their rotations. Grades are only evaluated based on a pass or fail basis. Additional factors include their interest in the field that the student is pursuing, personal statements, and how they perform in interviews.

Interviews determine whether medical graduates are a good fit for the residency position. “Be yourself, not your ideal self that isn’t actually you,” advises Dr. Nichani. “[Otherwise], you may end up regretting it.” He concludes that regardless of their pathway students should pursue something they are genuinely interested in and enjoy.

With its diverse methods of learning and hands-on engagement, medical students at MAM gain valuable clinical experience and get involved in the community. They integrate and experience student life across the downtown and Mississauga campuses. Eventually, MAM graduates become prospective residency students, having gained the knowledge and experience they require to be capable doctors and serve in the medical field.

What goes on in the Mississauga Academy of Medicine? – By Irtaqa Arif – Published: Monday, Nov 15, 2021

The post What goes on in the Mississauga Academy of Medicine? appeared first on Prem Nichani.

Akshdeep Bhatia

Up next: Orthopaedic Surgery at U of T

There have been several “wow” moments throughout the last four years. Some examples: seeing a cardiopulmonary machine take over a beating heart, delivering a newborn on my birthday, reducing fractures in the trauma bay and countless others.

I couldn’t have done any of it without the support of my family. My family has been my rock, especially during the demands of clerkship. They have kept me going with their encouragement and made sure I have been well fed! My mentor, Dr. Jihad Abouali, an Orthopaedic surgeon at Michael Garron Hospital, has been especially important in helping me navigate 4th year. Also have to give a shout out to my espresso machine, the blurred lines between the early morning grind and late-night study sessions would not have been possible without it. It was like having my own personal barista!

The pandemic was a huge curveball in “the plan.” A four-month clerkship hiatus, restructuring of electives and virtual CaRMS tour were not part of how any of us expected to end medical school. It challenged us to adapt and become more resilient. These traits will serve us well in residency and will allow us to extract the most out of every learning opportunity.

In the next chapter of my medical career, I’m really looking forward to being able to teach; I’ve had many amazing residents who have taken time during clinics or while on call to teach. It is a tradition that is embedded in the foundation of medical training. I look forward to joining a resident group that takes great ownership in teaching trainees and continue to pay it forward to the next generation of medical students.  Toronto has been my home from day one. I’m excited to be able to continue my medical training here and also serve the diverse patient population that makes the city unique.

Maddy Rudolph

Up next: Family Medicine at U of T

Without a doubt, one of the greatest highlights of medical school was getting to write Daffydil with Mary Ann Zokvic. We helped build something from the ground up, bonded with the whole cast and crew, and saw their talents bring the show come to life! It was a once in a lifetime experience that I’m so glad I got to be a part of.

The other highlight of my medical school experience has been the chance to meet and learn from so many incredible people. It has been a joy to witness to the passions, talents, and brilliance of my classmates as we navigated these chaotic 4 years together.

There is no way I could have made it where I am today without the incredible support and mentorship of the 2T0 Out in Medicine co-leads, Claire and Katie. They encouraged me to be myself when that was an unbelievably scary thing to do, and taking that first step has led me to so many opportunities to advocate for and help others.

On that note, I owe so much of my success and stability this year to my incredible partner Mallory Jackman. We couples matched together to Toronto, and I’m so excited to see her become a superstar pediatrician!

The pandemic has had a massive impact on our last 1.5 years of medical school – we had an impromptu 3 months off from clinical work, and a mad-dash of a 4th year to match and graduate on time. Moreover, the inequitable health outcomes we all witnessed during the pandemic emphasized to me the importance of physician advocacy and outreach to underserved populations, and I’m eager to be a part of the movement to help essential workers and racialized communities get the respect and care they deserve.

I’m excited to become a resident like the ones who guided me through the tough days of clerkship with coffee-breaks, debriefs, and high-yield teaching sessions. Down the road, I’m looking forward to becoming an educator and primary care physician and who provides comprehensive and inclusive care to people from the LGBTQ2S+ community and beyond.

Vincent Tang

Up next: Psychiatry at U of T 

The highlights for me over the past 4 years really boil down to those small, impromptu moments when I saw my friends in the hospital while on rotation, when I was able to catch up with them after class/clinic, and when I was really able to take off my “medicine hat” and wind down. And I can’t ignore that the aftermath of Match Day was a pretty big highlight too!

I have to give a huge shout out to my parents, who have supported me over the past 4 years and have been a rock for me to lean on when things get tough. I was lucky enough to stumble upon an amazingly supportive group of friends in my class, who I won’t call out here to save them the embarrassment (but you know who you are!). And I can’t ignore the more formal connections and supports that I’ve had over the past four years, from OHPSA to Dr. Kevin Imrie, a mentor who I met through the Diversity Mentorship Program at UofT. They say it takes a village, and I can’t help but agree.

It sounds so weird to say, but if anything, the pandemic really made me slow down and forced me to give myself the space to prioritize my own wellness. Studying, going to class, and attending clinical placements was already hard enough without the stress of the pandemic hanging over all of us, but it’s almost unbelievable how much mental exhaustion comes from doing the exact same things with the pandemic swirling around us. Giving myself the mental capacity to recognize those moments when I’m feeling overwhelmed and giving myself the space to slow down has been so important for me throughout the pandemic so far, and is a reflective practice I hope to continue moving forward.

I am very much looking forward to working with, and standing alongside, individuals and populations that have been made marginalized and vulnerable by our systems. While I am excited about continuing my training in a specialty I’m passionate about and gaining increasing independence as a resident, I also look forward to the privilege of learning with and from my patients that I will serve.

Asia van Buuren

Up next: Paediatrics at the University of British Columbia

My favourite parts of the past four years have been the hours spent with people that make me laugh until my stomach hurts. I am so lucky to have friends that see me, celebrate me, and inspire me every day. In addition, I have loved building relationships with patients and their families and have felt privileged to be with them at vulnerable times in their lives. Brene Brown says “the magic is in the mess.” In looking back on my medical training, it’s the challenging, disorienting times that have made me the clinician I am today. I’m so grateful for all of it.

Also very grateful for the support of my family members, particularly my siblings, nieces, nephews, parents, and grandparents that made themselves available to support me at all hours. I’m indebted to my partner, Liam, who has been nothing but patient, loving, and supportive over the past 4 years. I feel super lucky to have lots of mentors in the field I have chosen, particularly Dr. Ashley Vandermorris and Dr. Joey Latino, who have cheered me on every step of the way.

The pandemic definitely brought its fair share of challenges. From a mental health perspective, I struggled with feeling disconnected from my peers and my family. I noticed I felt more burnt out, maybe because it felt like there was less separation between my medicine life and my home life. I often came home worried about patients I had seen in hospital that were facing an admission without their support networks by their side. As someone who is passionate about advocacy, I’m concerned about the inequities made visible and exacerbated by COVID-19 and how these are impacting young people in our communities. I am entering residency with an ongoing commitment to addressing these inequities in my clinical practice.

I can’t believe I have the opportunity to continue to learn and grow within an area of medicine that I am extremely passionate about. I’m so excited to learn from and with children and their families in my home province. Not going to lie….also super excited about the joys of working in paediatrics…colouring, play time, dressing up for Halloween, and practicing medicine from a place of joy and creativity.

Prem Nichani

Up next: Ophthalmology at U of T

The past four years have been an emotional roller-coaster ride with numerous ups and downs, both personally and clinically. Some of the greatest highlights included working with a strong team of student leaders in advocating for the medical students via the #SpotsForDocs initiative and, more recently, working closely with faculty and staff to guide our class through a nearly four-month hiatus in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was also privileged to learn from highly respected and engaging healthcare leaders as a student in the System Leadership and Innovation Masters program (a collaborative initiative between the MD Program and the Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation), an experience that will suit me well given my interest in health policy.

Personally, I unfortunately had to deal with a family illness which thankfully had a successful outcome. However, finding a silver lining amidst it all was not too difficult given the immense support from everyone around me. Most notably, despite the cancellation of our dream Bollywood wedding and amidst clinical and leadership commitments in this pandemic, I am proud to have married my best friend last summer.

It would be impossible for me to list everyone who has made an impact on my life and career path thus far; however, I know I would be nowhere near where I am today without them. Foremost, I am grateful for my wife and parents, who have supported me throughout my many failures, especially over the past year.

My passion for ophthalmology stemmed from my experiences as a child in helping my mother run her busy optical practice and in witnessing the substantial impact she made on the quality of life of her patients by providing them with the advice and tools they needed to see and remain independent. This, along with my fervent curiosity in the field and future patients with symptomatic conditions who are therefore motivated partners in their care, makes me excited to continue my mother’s legacy of preserving and restoring vision within our community. Additionally, the opportunity to be surrounded by collaborative forward-thinking experts in the ophthalmology who genuinely care to help me grow as a future clinician provides fertile ground for me to pursue my research interest health policy to further enhance the provision of eye care in Canada.

Two common sayings, “Carpe diem” and “this, too, shall pass,” are more relevant than ever before. This pandemic taught me how to be resilient and that, while planning is great in theory, the unexpected cannot be controlled and so we need to savour the time we have now. I am always going to be busy with clinical and research responsibilities that will make great excuses for me to push personal commitments aside; however, I am a firm believer that time is not to be found, rather, it is to be made. I will definitely ensure that I spend the time I need to with my loved ones because a career is important, but family will always matter most.

Airiss Chan

Up next: Dermatology at the University of Alberta

Medical school has held some of the most exciting and terrifying moments in my life. When I tell stories of my times in clerkship to my family and friends, sometimes I can’t believe the things I’ve done and how much I’ve grown as a person.

The reason I’ve been able to have the opportunities to do things like this is all because of my amazing support network. My family, friends, teachers, and mentors have supported me as I pushed myself through each challenge, and as I’ve demanded more and more of myself. The pandemic has made me even more grateful for these people, as I’ve grown to have a deep realization that these people are who helped to shape me into the physician I hope to be.

I hope that moving forward in my own career, that I can motivate and inspire others who want to pursue medicine, and to encourage future medical students to push themselves to achieve their dreams and believe in themselves!

Imaan Javeed

Up next: Psychiatry at Queens University

Attending MedGames in Montreal during preclerkship and winning the improv tournament with our team was a moment of joy and pride I often think back and remember fondly. As for clerkship, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to spend time with patients, learn their stories and be humbled by them.

Alhamdulillah, as a Muslim, I can’t help but think of the Quranic verse 16:18, which reminds us that our blessings are innumerable. The endless love and support of my parents has always been (and continues to be) foundational to my successes, so if there’s anyone I want to thank, it’s them! I have so much love for my family and friends who have been by my side throughout my MD – from my homies in my clerkship group to my comrades who keep me grounded even though we almost never see each other in person. I also cannot thank my friends in upper years enough for their guidance and advice – I don’t know how I could have navigated medical school, especially clerkship and residency, without them.

While it’s felt like an inconvenience not to be able to meet with friends and family in-person as often as I once did, I think that being forced to live and work remotely has ushered in a real revolution in the way that we share knowledge and connect with others globally. While the internet has always made things publicly available (to those privileged enough to have access to it, of course), in the last year there has been a concerted effort to make things available online in unprecedented volumes. Conferences, lectures, resources… now available more than ever, and to global audiences to boot.

In terms of patient care, one thing (among many) the pandemic highlighted was the hardship we may have previously placed on patients and medical staff by not offering and appropriately remunerating remote options for patient care.

Finally, inequities and injustices around the world have been exacerbated, exposed, and broadcasted to more people than ever before, and I am hopeful this will accelerate the pace at which we can work to correct them.

I’m looking forward to meeting new colleagues and mentors, making new friends, and continuing to be in awe of patients’ stories and experiences. I hope to work with them not only to solve their individual concerns, but to work towards broader structural and societal changes to improve the lives of people and their communities both in Canada and around the world.

Class of 2T1: Highlights from Medical School – By MD Program – Published: Tuesday, June 15, 2021

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But with these experiences came new skills and the discovery of a deep resiliency that the class of 2T1 will take into their medical careers.

As the cohort of 254 MD graduands prepares for what’s next — convocation celebrations, licensing exams and residency placements — class co-presidents Prem Nichani and Ward Al-far look back on a year unlike any other.

STEPPING UP
In the spring of 2020, pandemic safety protocols put the class of 2T1 on temporary hiatus from clerkship rotation. During three months of unexpected downtime, the MD students stepped up to volunteer with initiatives to support health care systems and the community. Students organized PPE collection drives, worked crisis support telephone services, filled hospital screening and public health contact tracing roles, and pitched in to offer childcare and grocery delivery services to frontline healthcare workers.

A NEW LANDSCAPE
When clinical rotations resumed in July 2020, the MD students found themselves in a medical landscape transformed by new safety protocols, new routines for health care teams and a new relationship with patients for the physicians-in-training.

Al-far provided one-on-one medical care to patients, and found himself managing the social needs of patients who couldn’t have family members nearby due to safety protocols.

“You might find yourself supporting a scared breast cancer patient who can’t have her mother with her,” he said. “That adds a lot more emotional and social responsibility to caring for people, but the difference it makes for the patient is huge.”

Al-far describes the experience as “intense” but says it solidified the communication and patient advocacy skills he will carry into his future practice.

As healthcare adapted to the changing demands of COVID-19, the new protocols also gave learners an atypical view of the specialities they might be considering.

“This is a formative period,” said Al-far of the truncated Clerkship placements that give MD students a chance to experience different medical disciplines before deciding on their speciality.

The circumstances also shifted how learners prepared for residency placements. Travel restrictions meant the 2T1 class had to find new ways to explore the cities and institutions where they hoped to land residency placements.

“This is where we will spend the next five years and maybe set up our practices and our lives,” said Nichani.

Despite the challenges, MD Program Foundations director Marcus Law says the past year gave this cohort a unique opportunity to put their pre-clerkship training into practice.

“They observed how physicians learn and manage uncertainties and ambiguities,” said Law. “They also deepened their understanding of how to adapt to the unknown with new knowledge and to how to apply a health equity lens to advocate for their patients with COVID.”

“This class has developed life skills that will help them manage the next crisis,” he continued. “They’ve risen to the challenge and will be ready to tackle what comes next.”

IN IT TOGETHER
Through it all, the class of 2T1 leaned on each other, met safely outdoors when in-person visits were permitted and moved online when they were not. There were virtual town halls with faculty to keep students informed of changes and online counseling sessions offered through the Office of Health Professions Student Affairs.

The co-presidents also helped the class safely mark milestones and make new memories together. They recently hosted the first-ever virtual match party to celebrate residency matches and are preparing for an online convocation to take place Tuesday, June 15.

FUTURE FORWARD
With classes behind them, many in the 2T1 cohort are preparing for licensing exams and making relocation plans to begin their residency placements on July 1.

This period also typically offers opportunities for travel and rest, a break Nichani notes is especially needed after the intense pressures of the past year.

The co-presidents say their 2T1 classmates showed extraordinary determination and resiliency over the past year which will stand them in good stead in the future.

“Making it through these four years is a challenge itself, but with the pandemic, it’s a quite an accomplishment,” said Al-far, who will start residency in anesthesiology at McMaster University in July.

Nichani, who will remain in Toronto for his residency in ophthalmology, agrees. “Despite how hard this experience has been, it made our class stronger together and as individuals,” he said. “We’ve been through a heck of a lot.”

Vice Dean, Medical Education Patricia Houston lauded the class for their accomplishments and contributions.

“In addition to offering my congratulations the class of 2T1 on the successful completion of the MD Program, I also want to thank our newest graduates,” said Houston.

“Over the last year in particular, the class of 2T1 has stepped up to help in the clinical environment, assisted in caring safely for COVID patients and were a help to students in the other years of the program. It’s been a privilege to work with each of these students and I wish them the best as they embark upon the next chapter in their life long education journey.”

Graduating in a Year Like No Other – By Blake Eligh – Published: Wednesday, May 5, 2021

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In his first week of medical school at the University of Toronto, Prem Nichani was profoundly moved by a letter he received from a young doctor. Written by a U of T graduate, the note holds no bromides along the lines of, “Med school is great, you are going to have fun, you are going to be a doctor, you are going to make good money,” Mr. Nichani noted. Instead, “it was very real, and that’s what I appreciated about it.”

Mr. Nichani keeps the letter in his study and refers to it often as he embarks on his own exhaustive training to become a physician. Medical school is challenging, he said, and the moral support from alumni means a lot.

At the medical school’s orientation last fall, Mr. Nichani and each of his new classmates received a unique letter written by alumni who had responded to a call for “words of wisdom” for the incoming class. It’s a practice the faculty of medicine has continued since 2013.

Similarly, first-year students at Western University in London, Ontario, receive handwritten “kind notes” from alumni during their first set of exams. “Exams are tough. Never underestimate the power of a Spoke bagel and good coffee to recharge,” a 2014 graduate wrote this past December, referring the legendary bagels sold at a campus eatery called The Spoke.

The Kind Mail project – now in its second year – has been a hit with alumni, who have lit up Western’s social media platforms with their effusive #kindmail messages.

McMaster University in Hamilton has “welcome postcards” that it distributes to new students – an initiative launched in 2017-2018 academic year. When life sciences student Emily Grunthal arrived at her residence suite in the fall, having never met her three new roommates, there was a postcard on the fridge with a note from a recent graduate scribbled on the back. The grad wrote that almost everyone suffers from first-day anxiety: “We’ve all been there,” it read, but McMaster is “a very welcoming community.” Ms. Grunthal recalled that the writer advised the new students to “go out, do sports, do clubs” – and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

“It was just this really thoughtful postcard and  we were all sitting around our new kitchen table reading it together, which was kind of a nice moment,” Ms. Grunthal recalled.

Alumni relations officers from U of T, Western and McMaster say the request for notes of advice has engaged alumni of all ages. “It’s quite a range of participants for this particular campaign, but we do see some of the younger grads participating, which is always really nice,” said Meghan Cocurullo, digital engagement officer at Western’s department of alumni engagement and development. Western received about 1,400 Kind Notes in 2016 and again in 2017. (In February, the University of Victoria launched its own version of the Kind Mail campaign, soliciting “friendly words” from alumni to be delivered to students on postcards throughout the month of March.)

McMaster gathered between 1,400 and 1,500 alumni notes in the first year of its Welcome Postcards program – a response that left alumni relations staff icing their wrists after hand-writing all those messages onto postcards, said Scott Mallon, alumni officer responsible for student relations. U of T received more Words of Wisdom letters from doctors than it has first-year medical students, so staff have banked some for next year’s class, said Julie Lafford, director of alumni relations and annual giving at the faculty of medicine.

Alumni letter-writing campaigns offer new students advice from those who’ve come before – By Virginia Galt – Published: Tuesday, March 20, 2018

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Six years before he was born, Nichani’s mother was diagnosed with endometriosis, a painful condition in which the endometrial tissue lining the uterus grows outside the uterus and can cause impaired fertility. In an effort to relieve the severe pain and bleeding she was experiencing, doctors removed one of her ovaries. His parents had come to terms with that they would likely never have children. They were surprised and overjoyed when, years later, she became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

When Nichani was seven years old, his mother experienced debilitating pains that forced her to undergo a total hysterectomy to remove her uterus and remaining ovary. He recalls a difficult time when he was not allowed to visit his mom in the hospital because of the SARS epidemic and her condition took a turn for the worse. “Luckily she’s with me today,” he says with a relieved smile.

Now an undergraduate health sciences student entering his third year at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Nichani is spending the summer researching ovarian biology as part of the D+H SRI Summer Student Research Program at Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI). He is working in the lab of Dr. Clifford Librach, an associate scientist in the Women & Babies Program and director of the CReATe Fertility Centre.

Librach’s research is focused on diverse aspects of reproductive biology, including biomarkers for female infertility and egg quality and using umbilical cord stem cells to treat diseases. “When I heard about a fertility clinic that doesn’t just specialize in fertility, but also conducts research in other highly-specialized areas, I felt like it was a great environment for me to understand what happened to my mom and get involved in research,” says Nichani.

Under the guidance of research associate Dr. Shlomit Kenigsberg, Nichani is investigating the role of leukemia-inhibiting factor (LIF) receptor in egg growth and maturation and embryo implantation. One key question he is trying to answer is whether LIF receptor levels change in women with different-sized ovarian reserves. He is conducting his studies using follicular fluid, the liquid that surrounds an immature egg cell. The fluids, which are normally discarded, are from patients undergoing assisted reproductive therapy.

For Nichani, seeing other members in the lab, including Kenigsberg, work alongside him at the bench is a big motivation. “I’m surrounded by people who really know what they’re doing,” he says. “Having your supervisor right there makes a difference because you’re able to approach them. It’s an environment that makes me happy and want to come to work every day.”

In addition to his full-time research job, Nichani works as a Child Life volunteer at the Hospital for Sick Children, a position he’s held for five years. He is also busy studying for the MCAT exam, a medical school admission test he is writing later this summer. He hopes to become a clinician-scientist and specialize in pediatrics.

In May, Nichani attended the annual research day organized by the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Toronto. There, a lecture by Dr. Hamish Wallace of the University of Edinburgh on fertility preservation for young cancer patients helped him realize the possibility of combining his passions for medicine and research. “To be able to combine pediatrics with fertility and reproduction—it just opened my mind to the different things I could do,” he says.

Through all of this, Nichani is driven by a desire to understand his mother’s struggles with health and fertility and a deep gratitude for the lives they have. He can think of no better way to show his appreciation for the care his family received than helping a new generation of patients as both a physician and researcher.

Pay it forward – By Betty Zou – Published: Friday, July 17, 2015

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