Alumni Profiles

Explore the unique stories of our diverse alumni, where passion meets purpose. Their profiles offer a glimpse into their diverse career paths, lessons learned, and the impact they’re making in their communities and industries.


Dr. Alissa Zhang, MD’24
Originally drawn to UBC for its strong sense of community and beautiful landscapes, Dr. Zhang's experiences in the program deepened her commitment to providing culturally sensitive and equitable care, particularly in underserved communities. During her studies, Dr. Zhang co-chaired the Vancouver Chapter of the Reading Bear Society, where she led initiatives to promote early childhood literacy and community engagement. Read More >


Dr. Babak Shadgan, PhD’11
As an Olympic Sports Physician and chairman of the Medical & Anti-Doping Commission of the United World Wrestling, Dr. Babak Shadgan has directed medical coverage of wrestling competitions in world championships and Olympic Games since 2003, including the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. Read More >


Dr. Randip Gill, BSc’14, BEd (Sec)’15, MA’18, PhD’24
Dr. Randip Gill's PhD work focused on how different types of childhood poverty experience affect children’s development, health, and school success from kindergarten to high school graduation in B.C., and how these relationships differ by the child’s immigration background. Read More >


Phoebe Tuyishime, MPH’24
Phoebe Tuyishime has a strong passion for tackling public health issues, particularly nutrition and food insecurity. Her experiences, including working with the Clinton Health Access Initiative in Rwanda, have shown her the positive impact of effective public health efforts, especially in addressing critical issues like nutrition, sanitation, and infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. Read More >


Brian Martin, BMLSc’24
During his fourth year in the BMLSc program, Brian acted as a Student Liaison in addition to his studies. Upon graduation, he received the William J. Godolphin Prize for Excellence in Critical Thinking and a Faculty of Medicine Summer Student Research Award. Read More >


Kristen Danielle Go, BMLSc’24
Pursuing a career related to medicine to be able to provide care and help for other people has been Dana's dream for as long as she can remember. After graduation, she will be expanding her research of blood-based neurological biomarkers at Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and hopes to pursue grad school and for medical school in the future. Read More >


Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell
Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell is a 2024 recipient of the UBC Medical Alumni Association Honorary Medical Alumni Award. She is an Associate Professor for Medicine/Neurology at the University of British Columbia where she holds the Marg Meikle Professorship for Research in Parkinson’s disease and directs the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre. Read More >


Dr. Adrian Yee, MET’20
Dr. Adrian Yee is a 2024 recipient of the UBC Medical Alumni Association Honorary Medical Alumni Award. He is the Director of Curriculum within the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) Program and provides leadership for UGME to ensure a high-quality educational experience across all four sites and four years of the curriculum. Read More >


Dr. Ricky Tsang, BSc’13, BSc (Food Nutr)’15, MD’23
Dr. Ricky Tsang is a Vancouverite who attended UBC for undergraduate studies and medical school, the latter after a brief foray into the corporate world. He is also an aspiring amateur cook who enjoys “mucking about in the kitchen and not following recipes.” In January 2024, Dr. Tsang received the Medal of Good Citizenship from […] Read More >


Mona Shum, MSc’97
Mona Shum is the 2023–24 UBC Alumni Builder Award – Faculty of Medicine Recipient. She is a distinguished Master of Science in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (MSc OEH) alum with almost 30 years of professional and community leadership. At UBC, in BC, and across North America, she has significantly contributed to the practice and growth of occupational hygiene. Read More >