Karen Rofaeel

Karen Rofaeel

Karen Rofaeel is a 2023 recipient of the UBC Medical Alumni Association Student Leadership Award.

Karen is a second-year medical student at the Vancouver Fraser Medical Program. She has served as Class President for the past two years and has prioritized advocating for the needs of her class through this role. She was instrumental in improving student scheduling of clinical sessions, lecture timing, maintaining in-person learning whenever possible during the pandemic, and reinstating The Cadaveric Body Donor Memorial Service. Karen is also very passionate about mentorship, which is evident in her involvement with UBC’s Pathways to Medicine, the Student Affairs Mentorship Program, FLEX Activity Day, and Year 1 Orientation. Outside of medicine, Karen is also involved in an outreach service for houseless individuals in the Downtown Eastside and co-founded an Alumni Network for her undergraduate program prior to medical school. Karen also enjoys being outdoors, travelling, reading, and is always on the hunt for a good cup of coffee. Karen would like to thank the UBC Medical Alumni Association for recognizing her with this award, as well as her mentors, colleagues, and peers for their continuous support.

Transition to Practice & Beyond

You’re invited to join MNP’s May Ashraf and Daniel Love for a hybrid taxation and finance event on Tuesday, April 16th from 5:30 – 7:00 pm.

This live presentation will help you get answers to the most common questions that residents and alumni have asked MNP’s business advisors over the years, including current tax filing obligations, incorporation, tax tips, income splitting, and much more. 

Please feel to register even if you’ve attended a similar presentation before, as we will be presenting on many new topics.

Questions that you’ll learn answers to include:

  1. What are my tax filing obligations as a resident?
  2. What are my tax filing obligations as I transition to practice?
  3. When should I incorporate?
  4. What are the pros and cons of incorporation?
  5. How fast should I repay debt?
  6. What to consider when setting up a practice
  7. Who do I need on my advisory team?

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 pm PT
In-person Location: UBC Medical Student and Alumni Centre | 2750 Heather St., Vancouver, BC V5Z 4M2
Online Location: Zoom (Details will be provided upon registration)

Don’t miss out! Registration closes on Monday, April 15th.

Presenters

May Ashraf
Partner

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel Love
Senior Manager

 

 

 

 

 

About MNP

MNP is one of Canada’s leading professional services firms, proudly serving individuals, businesses, and organizations since 1958. Through the development of strong relationships, they provide client-focused accounting, consulting, tax, and digital services. Their clients benefit from personalized strategies with a local perspective to fuel success wherever business takes them.

Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell

Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell is a 2024 recipient of the UBC Medical Alumni Association Honorary Medical Alumni Award.

Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell (she/her) is a movement disorder neurologist trained in Germany, London, UK and Vancouver, Canada. 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. Her research focuses on the role of the microbiome and nutrition in Parkinson’s disease and related brain disorders, lifestyle interventions as well as non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s. In addition to Parkinson’s disease, dystonia is a particular interest of her work, especially ultrasound guidance for injection treatment with botulinum toxin. When not working, she enjoys the outdoors in BC, skis, hikes, bikes, gardens and cooks.

She is the founding director of the BC Brain Wellness Program and has previously served as the president of the Canadian Movement Disorder Society and the Director of the Canadian Residents Course for Movement Disorders. She is the recipient of a 2022/2023 UBC Killam Teaching Award.

What drew you to UBC and the UBC Faculty of Medicine?
Coming to UBC was a combination of the attraction of an internationally leading Parkinson’s research program at UBC led by Dr Jon Stoessl at the time and his kindness of taking me on as a fellow, the pull of family and the natural beauty of BC. When moving from London, UK, to Vancouver, I instantly fell in love with the city and that feeling has endured every since.

What has been your career journey?
My career journey has been somewhat unusual – I grew up in Germany, mostly dedicated to athletics and thanks to a full scholarship I was able to attend an American independent boarding school, The Hotchkiss School, in Connecticut for grade 11. This is where I learned English (my first foreign language was Latin in grade 5 which did not take me that far). Immersion into the English language as well as the experience of being abroad laid the foundation for my future choices. My initial university studies in macroeconomics and international relations were geared towards joining the diplomatic service or an international NGO with the hope to contribute to international connections and to better understand what makes societies work and how to change them for the better. Soon I found myself too far removed from the needs of individuals, though and I changed to study medicine.

In medical school I was very fortunate to have been supported by a full scholarship from the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes (the German Academic Scholarship Foundation) which allowed me to travel internationally for electives and extended internships. I spent time in hospitals in New Orleans (neurology and pediatric neurology), London, UK (neurology) and Durban, South Africa (surgery). At the end of Medical School, I was considering neurology (plus psychiatry) or pediatrics as my career choices, neurology won as I found it challenging to emotionally deal with severe illnesses in children and Oliver Sacks’ books had sparked my curiosity about the brain and how it shapes how we experience the world and make decisions. I did my neurology residency at a teaching hospital of the University of Heidelberg but eventually the travelling bug caught up with me again and in 2001, I took my CV with me to London, went to Dr Andrew Lees’ office at Queen Square and asked if they had a fellowship position in movement disorders. Fortunately, they did and in 2002 I started my first fellowship in movement disorders with Dr Lees where I was part of the team that worked on the then newly discovered impulse control disorders that can arise from dopaminergic medications in Parkinson and profoundly influence decision making in affected individuals. In order to qualify as a neurologist in Germany, I also had to do at least one year of psychiatry so I embarked on four years of psychiatry training during which I had two children and took time off for parental leave. This was followed by locum time as a neurology consultant in London.

In 2006/2007 the opportunity came up to move to Canada, my German qualification as a neurologist was not recognized in Canada but I could fortunately do another movement disorder fellowship at UBC. With the help of a lot of fundraising by the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Institute (PPRI) through the Porridge for Parkinson’s event by Marg Meikle and her family, the “Porridge Professorship”, later renamed the “Marg Meikle Professorship for Parkinson’s Research” was established which I have held since 2010. The position has allowed me to focus on movement disorders clinically and with the support from many colleagues and crucially PPRI to build my research program. My path has been anything but straight forward but it all makes sense now. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity provided by UBC and the many colleagues and mentors who have helped to overcome the many hurdles along the way.

What UBC Faculty of Medicine initiatives or projects have you been involved in that you are particularly proud of?
The BC Brain Wellness Program is very close to my heart – Dr. Jack Taunton and I founded it in 2017, it launched with a fabulous team in 2019 to bring lifestyle interventions such as exercise, arts-based practices and more recently nutrition to people living with chronic brain conditions, their care partners and healthy agers. The program is now in its 5th year and has reached several thousand British Columbians with free mostly online and some in-person programs while also supporting the education on brain conditions in several allied health specialties, and providing volunteering and research opportunities for many students from across campus. We are grateful to all our donors, the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation and to the Faculty of Medicine Development Office for all their crucial support including for featuring the BC Brain Wellness Program at UBC Giving Day.

The biggest part of my research program now is the focus on the role of diet and of the gut microbiome in Parkinson’s. This has been a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary endeavor. Visionary funding from PPRI again made the first several projects possible and allowed us to contribute significantly to the field internationally, we are now running several clinical trials and cohort studies, bringing together a large team of researchers and clinicians, supported by and in close collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine.

I am grateful to be a member of both the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health as well as the Edwin S. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging – both have been most supportive and I truly enjoy the many opportunities to collaborate and create new initiatives. Both are creative spaces where good ideas are supported and I feel there is freedom to explore them.

Could you share a specific moment or experience that reaffirmed your commitment to your role as a clinician, teacher, mentor, or administrator within the UBC Faculty of Medicine?
Recently, one of my children has had significant medical challenges and my colleagues stepped up to help immediately. I have been enormously grateful to all of them for their kindness and wisdom. Moreover, it strengthened my feelings of empathy for my patients and deeply reaffirmed for me the importance of kindness in medicine, the importance of accessibility to medical care, the importance of research to move the needle in the conditions that we don’t have causative treatments for and the importance to teach and mentor the next generation. It affirmed for me that I am in the place I need to be in, even if it is not always easy to strike balance.

What does receiving the Honorary Medical Alumni Award mean to you?
I feel very honored and admittedly very surprised, I certainly did not see this coming! The award is very reassuring that my work and that of my team has meaningful impact which in turn is highly motivating. It makes me feel included in a very special community which is particularly meaningful for someone like me who is coming from the outside on so many levels but has made Vancouver and UBC their home.

How has your identity affected your perspective on the field of medicine and future pursuits? 
My identity as a woman and mother has highlighted the challenges of having a family while also pursuing a career as a clinician scientist, it is an ongoing search for balance but also a most rewarding one and one where my female mentors have been very helpful. While I have several  suggestions for change at the systems level, I also particularly enjoy mentoring young women embarking on the same career path.

Having worked in medicine in several different places around the world, I particularly appreciate the opportunities we have in British Columbia to create new projects, our universal health care insurance and the well-organized, high-quality medical training in BC.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next 10 years?
In the next ten years, I am hoping to establish personalized prevention (primary and secondary) and fostering of resilience as an important pillar in the management of neurodegenerative disorders and other brain diseases. Research will focus on lifestyle interventions such as nutrition, exercise, stress-reduction, social connectedness and microbiome-related mechanisms to develop and implement effective therapies to improve quality of life, function, and delay/slow down progression of those diseases.

What does a healthy society mean to you?
A healthy society actively fosters emotional, social, physical, cognitive and spiritual health across all ages; it is designed to create community, is inclusive of all and recognizes each individual as a precious member with their own unique talents and ways to contribute; access to prevention and health care is universal regardless of socio-economic considerations.

Dr. Appel-Cresswell will be recognized at the UBC Medical Alumni Celebration & Awards 2024 on May 2nd.

Alvin Qiu

Alvin Qiu is a 2024 recipient of the UBC Medical Alumni Association Student Leadership Award.

Degree: MD/PhD Program
Campus: Vancouver-Fraser Medical Program
Year: 8th year as of March 2024

Alvin completed his PhD thesis work studying the epigenetic mechanisms driving a soft tissue cancer called synovial sarcoma. Throughout medical school, Alvin has been actively involved in student government. He has served as President of the UBC Medical Undergraduate Society and on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students. In his elected roles, he strived to address students’ learning needs and supported student wellness initiatives both locally at UBC and across the country. In addition, he has also fostered opportunities to promote student scholarship and knowledge translation skills through his role as Editor-in-Chief of the UBC Medical Journal. 

What drew you to the MD Program at UBC?
I chose to study at UBC because I was attracted by the strong academic environment. In addition, having grown up in Toronto and having previously studied in Montreal, this was a great way to experience life in another beautiful Canadian city – one surrounded by mountains and the ocean.

What are some highlights of your studies so far?
One of the highlights of my studies has been completing clerkship (the Year 3 MD curriculum). It was an amazing opportunity to gain exposure to so many diverse fields of both general and specialized medicine. Every day of clerkship felt like a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience!

What does receiving the Student Leadership Award mean to you?
Receiving the Student Leadership Award is an incredible honour and a representation of some of the energy and effort I have dedicated to my elected roles in student council/student government. Of course, it is definitely a shared award since I would not have been able to achieve my goals without the amazing teams I have worked on and the people I have worked with.

How has your identity affected your perspective on the field of medicine and future pursuits?
My identity and my lived experiences as a member of minority groups have improved my ability to provide compassionate care. However, we all have diverse lived experiences and I am continuously learning with the goal of better supporting patients, in particular, those who come from disadvantaged or marginalized backgrounds.

What are you most excited for about a career in medicine?
My PhD research was in the field of cancer and in my future career, I am really excited to help cancer patients with their treatments in a clinical setting as well. The strength of cancer patients is a constant inspiration for my work.

What does a healthy society mean to you?
A healthy society means addressing all domains of health including physical, mental and spiritual health.

Alvin will be recognized at the UBC Medical Alumni Celebration & Awards 2024 on May 2nd.

Valerie Mok

Valerie Mok is a 2024 recipient of the UBC Medical Alumni Association Student Leadership Award.

Degree: MD Undergraduate Program
Campus: Vancouver-Fraser Medical Program
Year: 2nd year as of March 2024

Valerie is deeply committed to ensuring equitable access to healthcare, particularly for marginalized populations. As president of the UBC Pathways to Medicine Club, Valerie spearheads efforts to provide equitable access and guidance for those interested in pursuing a career in medicine, especially for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. She founded a longitudinal mentorship program connecting medical students with high school students, which has evolved a collaboration with the UBC Faculty of Medicine through the Youth Outreach Mentorship Program. Valerie is also the co-lead of a peer-assisted learning initiative and has previously conducted research in near-peer medical education. As a Faculty of Medicine student representative, she brought significant reform to the clinical decision making curriculum.

Outside of UBC, Valerie is a youth advisor for the Canadian Mental Health Association BC and helps develop program materials used to support individuals experiencing common mental health challenges. She currently works with clinician-scientists at Providence Health Care investigating non-prescription drug-associated cardiac arrests that occur outside of hospital, and her advocacy efforts have involved speaking to politicians about unsafe conditions in emergency rooms.

What drew you to the MD Program at UBC?
I was born and raised in BC, but I studied abroad in the UK for my undergraduate degree. I am very grateful for that experience but it also solidified my decision to return to Vancouver, and I missed being surrounded by mountains, trees, and water. I believe the UBC MD program not only provides a high quality of medical education, but also demonstrates a commitment to serving our population such as by taking steps to create a more diverse and representative healthcare workforce – these were important factors for me.

What are some highlights of your studies so far?
Despite the Vancouver site having a cohort of nearly 200 students, the medical school works hard to provide a supportive environment that fosters long-lasting relationships. Getting to know my classmates and the faculty members has been very rewarding. The feeling of working towards a common goal alongside equally passionate people is pretty special.

What does receiving the Student Leadership Award mean to you?
I am grateful to receive this award from the UBC Medical Alumni Association. I firmly believe in transforming passion into concrete action, and this recognition serves as encouragement that my efforts are positively impacting the causes I care deeply about.

How has your identity affected your perspective on the field of medicine and future pursuits?
I am the first person in my family to be born in Canada and speak English as my first language, and my upbringing and cultural background have shaped my strong work ethic. Following high school, my time away from home allowed me to gain clarity regarding my life goals. This solidified my desire to pursue medicine despite not having grown up around anyone who worked in healthcare. As a future physician, I aspire to help patients not solely to postpone death but to work towards a good life, whatever that may mean to them. I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue this career path which allows me to direct my insatiable intellectual drive towards helping others, and I cannot imagine another career that would be more fulfilling.

What are you most excited for about a career in medicine?
Being able to witness the tangible impact I can have in other people’s lives through medical expertise and human connection.

What does a healthy society mean to you?
As a society, our concept of health has evolved dramatically over recent decades. I think health encompasses all the factors in our lives that contribute to our wellbeing (or lack thereof). Medicine contributes to a portion of that – a “healthy society” is also dependent upon many other systems.

Valerie will be recognized at the UBC Medical Alumni Celebration & Awards 2024 on May 2nd.

UBC MSAC Rental Contest

Win a free rental at the UBC Medical Student & Alumni Centre (MSAC) Vancouver!

Dates and Details:

  • This contest will be run from March 7, 2024 at 8:00 am PT to Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 11:59pm PT and the winner will be selected on or about April 8, 2024.
  • This contest is sponsored by the UBC Medical Student & Alumni Centre.

Eligibility:

  • Entrants must be UBC Faculty of Medicine MD Alumni.
  • This contest is open to entrants residing in Canada during the contest and who are the age of majority in their province of residence, excluding Quebec residents

Prize:

  • A 12-hour rental of Hardwick Hall and Latham Hall at the UBC MSAC Vancouver.
  • Rental must be used for a personal event, not a work/organizational event.
  • Event must occur by April 5, 2025, subject to availability.

How to Enter:

No purchase necessary. Limit of one (1) entry per entrant. Eligible entrants may enter this contest by submitting their name, phone number, email address, and MD Grad year here:

Draw:

  • On or about April 8, 2024, a random draw will be conducted in or in the vicinity of Vancouver, BC by the MSAC Operations and Events Manager from the entries received. The odds of being selected as a potential winner are dependent on the number of entries received. Before being declared a winner of the Prize, the selected potential winner shall be required to: (1) respond to the MSAC Operations and Events Manager per the communication method described below; (2) answer, without assistance of any kind, a mathematical skill-testing question, and to comply with these Contest Rules; (3) provide written release consenting to the use of his/her name, city or province of residence and/or photograph or likeness, without compensation, in any publicity carried out by the UBC MSAC or its advertising and promotional agencies relative to this Contest; and (4) may be required to sign release and indemnity at their expense whereby the winner releases and indemnifies and holds harmless the UBC MSAC, its advertising and promotional agencies, the suppliers of the Prize, and all their respective employees, directors, officers, owners, agents, representatives, successors and assigns from any liability in connection with or arising out of the Contest, the awarding of the Prize, the use of the Prize or the use of any personal information. The selected potential winner of the draw will be notified by telephone or email no later than April 15, 2024.
  • The selected winner of the draw must respond within 10 calendar days by telephone or email to the contact number or email address provided in the contest entry form. The selected potential winner’s response must be received by the MSAC Operations and Events Manager within ten calendar days of the notification. If the selected potential winner fails to meet any of the requirements set out in these Official Contest Rules, they will be disqualified and another entrant will be selected from the remaining eligible entrants and, upon notification, will have ten calendar days to respond.

General Rules

  • By participating in this contest, each entrant and winner agrees to: (a) be bound by these Official Contest Rules and the decisions of the UBC MSAC; and (b) release and hold harmless the UBC MSAC from and against any and all liabilities, losses, claims, demands, costs and expenses (including lawyer’s fees and litigation expenses on a solicitor and own client basis) whatsoever to which any of them may become subject arising from any actions or omissions by the entrant.
  • By participating in this contest, each entrant and winner agrees that the UBC MSAC may post the winner’s name on its website.
  • The decisions of the UBC MSAC in relation to this contest will be final and binding on all entrants.
  • The UBC MSAC reserves the right to cancel, terminate, or suspend this contest, at its discretion, at any time without prior notice.
  • Each Prize claim is subject to verification by the UBC MSAC and/or its designated representatives.
  • Entries made with multiple addresses, under multiple identities, or through the use of any device or other method to enter multiple times or entries that are in excess of the permitted number of entries are automatically void.
  • All contest entries obtained through unauthorized sources or which are incomplete or in any way not in compliance with these Official Contest Rules are automatically void. The UBC MSAC is not responsible for lost or late entries. The UBC MSAC is not responsible for any miscommunications, failed communications systems, software malfunctions, or for any human errors in connection with this contest. The UBC MSAC may suspend or terminate this contest if the UBC MSAC is of the view this contest’s administration or fair play has been compromised.
  • Your personal information is collected by the UBC Faculty of Medicine for the purpose of administering this event. It is also being shared with UBC, which is collected under the authority of section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. We may also use your contact information to update our alumni mailing lists, which are used by both alumni UBC and UBC to keep alumni informed about University news, events and initiatives, including fundraising. Any questions about the collection or use of this information should be forwarded to med.alumni@ubc.ca. This contest is subject to all applicable laws of the Province of British Columbia and the laws of Canada, as well as these Official Contest Rules.

Internet Disclaimer

  • The UBC MSAC and its agents are not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer on-line systems, servers, access providers, computer equipment, traffic congestion or the Internet or any website, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to an entrant’s or any other person’s computer, related to or resulting from downloading any materials in this contest.
  • The UBC MSAC reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend this contest should a virus, bug or other cause beyond the reasonable control of the UBC MSAC or its agents corrupt the security or proper administration of the contest. Any attempt to deliberately damage any website or to undermine the legitimate operation of this contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws, and should such an attempt be made, The UBC MSAC reserves the right to seek remedies and damages to the fullest extent permitted by law, including criminal prosecution.

Dr. Adrian Yee, MET’20

Dr. Adrian Yee is a 2024 recipient of the UBC Medical Alumni Association Honorary Medical Alumni Award.

Dr. Adrian Yee (he/him/his), is a distinguished leader in medical education.

Dr. Yee completed his MD in Toronto, Hematology training in Edmonton, and the Master of Educational Technology at UBC in 2020. He currently serves as Director of Curriculum for the UBC MD Undergraduate Program. In this role, Dr. Yee provides province-wide curricular leadership, ensuring a high-quality educational experience for UBC medical students across all four sites and four years of the program. Dr. Yee has a passion for community-based and patient-centered innovation. He is the Principal Investigator for innovative projects in Virtual Care, Team-Based Care and Planetary Health. His career goals are to build on the distributed medical education model by advancing social accountability, community-centric education, and Indigenous Reconciliation.

Dr. Yee met his wife, Dr. Janet Mak, at the University of Toronto, and they have two amazing daughters, Michaela and Samantha, who keep him grounded, if not humble. Janet is a family physician with an interest in the care of the elderly. Adrian loves cycling, running, travelling with his family, kayaking, reading novels and listening to his daughters practice violin at home.

What drew you to UBC and the UBC Faculty of Medicine?
I am drawn to the UBC and the UBC Faculty of Medicine because of the commitment to social accountability, serving the communities and innovation. It is a privilege to be part of a dynamic, supportive, and innovative team dedicated to shaping the future of medical education. UBC’s focus on excellence, diversity, and collaboration aligns closely with my values.

I enjoy working with colleagues and learners from diverse backgrounds who bring unique insights and ideas that contribute to a more holistic approach to tackling real-world challenges. I love being challenged to examine our assumptions, to think outside the box, and being pushed to grow personally and professionally.

I am continually humbled by the generosity of my colleagues in sharing their knowledge and expertise. The UBC Faculty of Medicine’s work environment fosters creativity, and I love the can-do spirit.

What has been your career journey?
I completed my Hematology residency in 2004 and joined Island Health and the BC Cancer Agency in Victoria. In 2005, Dr. Kathy Gaul offered me the opportunity to teach in the Hematology block at the Island Medical Program (IMP), marking the beginning of my journey in medical education. Subsequently, I assumed the role of Clinician Educator for the IMP, where I mentored and supported learners facing academic challenges. I found great fulfillment in building relationships with learners, understanding their unique contexts, and contributing to their professional growth while serving the community.

Over the years, I have held various roles, including Assistant Dean at the Island Medical Program in Victoria, Associate Director for Years 3 and 4, and Director of Curriculum for Undergraduate Medical Education. I lead a team overseeing curricular design, enhancement, and innovation. Our core values revolve around Social Accountability and community-centric education, guiding our efforts in the complex distributed medical education system. I am grateful for the unwavering support that my colleagues, staff, and learners have provided throughout this journey.

What UBC Faculty of Medicine initiatives or projects have you been involved in that you are particularly proud of?
I am proud of many innovative initiatives I have led, from the exhilarating experience of leading curriculum renewal to adapting curriculum and delivery, more recently, leading our MD Undergraduate program’s curriculum delivery through a worldwide pandemic. I am particularly proud of designing Virtual Clinical Education Podcasts based on patient/caregiver partners’ perspectives.

I am grateful to the Strategic Investment Fund for supporting the Planetary Health project to create a BC Climate Health Knowledge Network. This funding will support our team to engage, learn from and listen to the community concerns and knowledge of Climate Health. I am proud to lead a team that aims to better understand these complex health and social issues, advance Indigenous Reconciliation, and engage historically underrepresented communities.

Could you share a specific moment or experience that reaffirmed your commitment to your role as a clinician, teacher, mentor, or administrator within the UBC Faculty of Medicine?
There are many defining moments, and I will share an experience of why I cherish the role as a clinician, teacher, and mentor. At a recent social event, one of my colleagues thanked me for the support, assistance, and mentorship through medical school.  We all struggle occasionally and must remember kindness is the most important value. Seeing how learners grow and develop into practicing clinicians to serve our communities is gratifying. The ability to help and support learners to serve our communities matters more than anything else. I will continue to maintain and build on the connection with learners to be content and successful in serving the community.

What does receiving the Honorary Medical Alumni Award mean to you?
I take great pride and joy in receiving this award and am truly grateful for the recognition. I express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Cheryl Holmes for being an unwavering mentor, supporter, coach, and ally throughout my journey. Without the support of the UGME team, and the communities I serve, I would not have been able to achieve what I have.

Being acknowledged for our leadership work and our progress as a community fills my heart with warmth. The challenges brought about by the COVID pandemic have taught us the importance of unity and togetherness. We have learned that we are stronger when we stand together to achieve our common goals.

How has your identity affected your perspective on the field of medicine and future pursuits?
I have had the opportunity to live in various places, such as Hong Kong, Ethiopia, Singapore, Vancouver, London (Ontario), Toronto, and Edmonton. Throughout my upbringing, I have been fortunate to have the support of my parents and family, which I am deeply grateful for. They have instilled in me the values of hard work and kindness. The multiple relocations I experienced taught me to be adaptable, proactive in forging and maintaining friendships, and a rational change-maker.

As a medical educator and clinician, witnessing the lack of equitable health access for marginalized communities deeply saddens me. It is disheartening to see these inequities persist. I aim to build on our current education to advance community-centric education, social accountability, and Indigenous Reconciliation.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next 10 years?
In the UBC communities, many colleagues inspire me; among them are Cheryl Holmes, Oscar Casiro, Bruce Wright, Kendall Ho, Angela Towle, John Pawlovich, Maria Hubinette, Derek Thompson, and Carolyn Canfield. These individuals demonstrate dedication and integrity in their community service and work ethic.  They have deep knowledge and willingly share their expertise with others. I aspire to be like them in the next ten years. On a more practical level, I am fully committed to collaborating with the team to work on the Climate Health project.

What does a healthy society mean to you?
A healthy society gives individuals access to resources and opportunities that promote holistic well-being. In a healthy society, there is a focus on having a support system, a sense of community, equity, and environmental sustainability to promote health and well-being for everyone.

Dr. Yee will be recognized at the UBC Medical Alumni Celebration & Awards 2024 on May 2nd.

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 the Province of BC for his contributions to community live in British Columbia.

What drew you to the MD Program at UBC?
Having grown up in Vancouver, the MD Program at UBC was the logical choice. Beyond geographical proximity and familiarity both with the university and region, I was drawn to the distributed nature of the medical program which I believe provides students with a richness of diversity, perspectives, and experiences unmatched by other programs. Moreover, the UBC Faculty of Medicine is fortunate to have a unique group of dedicated and talented educators that I believe are among the very best and contribute to a robust medical education experience.

What is your favorite memory from your time at UBC?
Tough question! Having attended UBC for undergraduate studies and medical school, I have a catalogue of memorable moments at UBC. That said, two moments stand out to me.

The first is Imagine Day 2012. I was involved in the team tasked with putting together Imagine Day 2012 and standing on Main Mall the day of the event and seeing the carefully orchestrated chaos unfold before our eyes after months of hard work is something I’ll never forget.

The second is the first day of medical school when we had the opportunity to meet other members of our class. The excitement and anticipation, which had culminated from many years of hard work and dedication, was a joy to be part of.

What has been your journey since graduating from UBC?
Since graduating, I’ve moved to Toronto to pursue a residency in General Surgery at the University of Toronto.

How did you start volunteering?
I started volunteering regularly in 2007. I used to live near a long-term care facility I walked by daily. Out of an abundance of curiosity and a desire to do some volunteering, I walked in and filled out a volunteer application form. Thankfully, they decided to accept me as a volunteer, and it felt like a natural fit from the start. For years, I thoroughly enjoyed working with dedicated rehab staff and volunteers to deliver various recreational and social programs for residents. They did an excellent job creating a family-like environment.

From there, I became involved with the Canucks Autism Network, Children’s Organ Transplant Society, and Starlight Canada.

Why are you inspired to give back to your communities through community service?
I believe we all have the capacity to give back to the community in some way, shape, or form. All efforts, big and small, and everything in between, can have a profound impact on another individual or community.

I grew up near a long-term care facility and was fortunate to land a role there while in high school. Seeing firsthand the compassion, hard work, and dedication of the staff and other volunteers on a weekly basis, as well as the joy they brought to elders, inspired me to follow in their footsteps and contribute through volunteerism.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish?
From a professional perspective, I hope to become physician that patients consider as caring and competent, someone that they can approach and feel comfortable working with to address their medical concerns. From a personal point of view, I aspire to travel extensively and bake the perfect molten chocolate cake.

What does a healthy society mean to you?
For me, a healthy society is characterized by compassion and care, where those who are less fortunate are looked after. A healthy society is one where all its members have access to housing and shelter, education and healthcare, and resources to pursue a healthy lifestyle in order to care for themselves and those around them.

Mona Shum, MSc’97

Mona Shum is the 2023–24 UBC Alumni Builder Award – Faculty of Medicine Recipient.

Mona (she/her) is a distinguished Master of Science in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (MSc OEH) alum with almost 30 years of professional and community leadership. As a mentor, supervisor, and employer, she has played pivotal roles in the career development and success of many MSc OEH graduates. A dedicated curriculum developer and instructor, she has also played key leadership roles within the American Industrial Hygiene Association, cementing her status as a pivotal figure in her field. At UBC, in BC, and across North America, she has significantly contributed to the practice and growth of occupational hygiene.

What drew you to the MSc OEH program at UBC?
I was in a gap year after graduating with a BSc in Microbiology and a bit disillusioned about a career in primary research. I liked science and learning, but not working in the laboratory, so I was checking out different programs at UBC in 1994.

In those days, without internet, I actually was visiting the Department of Healthcare and Epidemiology to check out their program. As I was leaving in the pouring rain, I happened to see a wet pamphlet on the ground outside the building. For some reason, I picked it up and it was a pamphlet introducing this new Occupational Hygiene Program. It ticked all the boxes for me in terms of a career in science working with people and data, continually learning new things, and not being confined to a lab all my life. I believe it was serendipity that made me pick up a wet piece of garbage from the ground that day!

What is your favorite memory from your time at UBC?
We were a close-knit group of about seven people in the Occupational Hygiene Program and It was probably one of the most stressful times in our lives up until that point, but also the most fun. In those days, our professors would sometimes give us homework assignments in our cubbyholes (yes, we had cubbyholes for our mail, etc.). So, one day a friend and I decided to play a prank on our other classmates by putting a fake and impossible homework assignment in their cubby holes. We let them sweat over the assignment for a few hours in the evening, before calling them up and telling them it was fake. We still talk about the prank to this day!

What has been your journey since graduating from the MSc OEH program at UBC?
In 1997, I started my first job as an industrial hygienist at Shell Canada Ltd. in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta working for the refinery there and responsible for industrial hygiene for all the oil and gas plants and terminals across Canada. It was a great adventure, and I loved learning about oil and gas and travelling on the Shell jet!

I moved to San Francisco a year later and worked for a consulting company for 10 years in the health sciences department. There, I worked as the industrial hygienist doing exposure assessments for a group of primarily epidemiologists. My career really burgeoned in California, as I was able to complete several publications and also served as an expert witness in many indoor air quality cases. Due to family issues, I ended up moving back to Vancouver and managed the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health at the BC Centre for Disease Control. There I learned that environmental public health and occupational health weren’t all that different – they just served different populations, but the principles of hierarchy of control were still applicable.

Then, I decided I missed industrial hygiene too much and stepped back into consulting, but this time in Canada, which was a completely new experience. After a few years, I decided to strike out on my own starting Aura Health and Safety and at the same time, teaching at UBC in the same program from which I graduated, teaching my absolute favourite course that I had the pleasure of taking with Dr. Kay Teschke. Things have certainly come full circle, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity to do what I love.

Since your graduation, tell us about your connection with the occupational hygiene community.
I’ve always been connected to the occupational hygiene community having joined the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) both at the national and local levels fresh out of school.  I’ve served on the AIHA non-ionizing radiation committee since 2000 and have chaired it for a time as well. I served as the president of the AIHA BC Yukon chapter in 2012 and opened an Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) chapter in 2016 serving as the chair for a couple of years.

Even though I lived outside of BC for a good portion of my career, I always stayed in touch with UBC grads and the program, even mentoring (through phone calls in early days to mentoring cafes in present day). In fact, it was a meeting with my former UBC professors that led me to my job at the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health. And it was my continued contact with the UBC School of Occupational and Environmental Health throughout the years that led to my eventual adjunct faculty appointment there in 2016. In 2020, I was grateful to receive the Elizabeth McDonald award, which was awarded to me by my peers and honours Elizabeth McDonald, a pioneer in the field of industrial hygiene.

Why are you inspired to give back to your communities?
I really believe in passing on knowledge, so we don’t lose it, and also giving others the same sort of opportunities for mentorship and learning that I had. I enjoy the camaraderie with my fellow industrial hygienists who volunteer for committees; I feel we all have a sense of wanting to give back and to help others – otherwise, we would have chosen much different career paths!

What advice would you give to alumni who want to get more involved with UBC?
Just do it! There are so many ways to get involved. It doesn’t have to be at the level of teaching at UBC – it can be hiring UBC practicum students, hosting student projects, being a mentor, giving a technical or professional presentation to students, donating to a scholarship fund, or just coming out to alumni events.

How has your identity affected your perspective in your practice, community involvement, and/or your future pursuits?
I am a third child of Chinese immigrants and even from a young age, I was always keenly aware of what my parents gave up in Hong Kong to come here to make a better life for their children. While my father was a physics and math teacher in Hong Kong, he spent many years washing dishes and doing night security work in Canada to make sure that his family was fed and clothed. I always knew that I needed to do well in school, so that I could prove to my parents that they made the right decision all those years ago. However, doing well in school wasn’t all about making my parents proud; I always had a thirst for knowledge and would even ask for extra assignments in school, partially for the extra credit, but mostly because I wanted to know more/do better. I think that childhood thirst is still with me today and it drives me to embark upon some interesting journeys.

I want to leave the ones who will replace me in a better position than I was in. I think that idea comes from my parents who were the first to voice that desire for me.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next 10 years?
In keeping with wanting to disseminate knowledge, my colleague and I want to start a 2-year industrial hygiene technologist program, so that the field of industrial hygiene can grow. With more technologists supporting them, industrial hygienists (who graduate from Master’s Programs) can accomplish more and have far greater impacts on occupational health in Canada and globally.

What does a healthy society mean to you?
I remember someone saying to me in the program, that ultimately, we as industrial hygienists want to do such a great job of improving workplace health that we are no longer needed. Unfortunately, I believe there will always be health risks, and thus a need for industrial hygienists. However, I do believe a healthy society is one that is educated and fully aware of the health risks and does what it can to mitigate them.

Mary Ng, MOT’23

Originally from Hong Kong, Mary Ng (she/her) notes her most recent, biggest accomplishment would be graduating from the UBC Master of Occupational Therapy program and getting to work at her dream work setting. She aspires to be the stepping stone for her clients by providing support and expertise to help them maximize their potential and propel themselves further in their lives. When Mary is not doing OT, she enjoys reading, taking photos, and being in nature.

What drew you to the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree at UBC?
I was searching for a career that could allow me to use my passion in psychology with practicality. A few seconds after typing down the keywords on the search engine, occupational therapy popped up and the job description has caught my eyes ever since. As I was researching where to get trained, the small class size UBC offers for the MOT program drew me closer to making the decision to apply. I have always wanted a close knitted relationship within a cohort and I am glad the small cohort size gave me exactly what I wanted.

How has studying in the MOT program made an impact on you?
Not only did I acquire different skills that I would be able to use at work, I find that skills that make a great occupational therapist (OT) are also very helpful to personal growth and helps me become a better person in general.

What was something you learned in the MOT program that surprised you?
Although we are privileged to acquire high level education, it does not mean that we are at a higher position than people seeking help from us. As OTs, we work with our clients/patients and we walk alongside them in their journey of recovery. Ultimately, they are the drivers and we utilize our expertise to help them steer towards their goals.

What is your favorite memory from your time at UBC?
Every moment is memorable for me, the happy ones and the tough ones. If I have to pick however, I would say the moments when I was in class with my cohort. Having a shared 2 years of time with them is my absolute pleasure and I miss all those break time conversations, and jokes and struggles we had during and outside of classes.

Where do you find inspiration?
People! From our professors and preceptors to classmates and our patients/clients, I have learned so much from every one of them, and every day I keep learning new things from them. Everyone is an expert in their lives, and they have so much knowledge and experiences to share.

What does a healthy society mean to you?
A healthy society means that people see the importance of both physical and mental health, and that people would not feel ashamed to reach out for help and support for either health issues, and that they would receive sufficient assistance on their journey of recovery.

What are your plans after graduation?
I am lucky to get hired at my dream work setting. I hope that with the addition of me to the team, the department would be able to expand in services that we could provide to our patients. In terms of longer-term goals, I wish that with the support of my team, we would be able to expand the service outside of the hospital I am working at currently, so that the population I am serving who is out in the community could receive better support.