Reflecting on a four-year journey
Graduating students from the Class of 2014 were asked to reflect on their four-year experience at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. Here are samples from their submissions.
Abdul Naeem, Class of 2014
“What a wonderful privilege and dream it has been to attend medical school at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. Having heard very little of Windsor prior to starting my journey I have been immensely impressed at my medical school experience in Windsor.
In reflecting back, it takes a lot of hard work, dedication and perseverance to establish a teaching facility to train the next generation of Canadian physicians. Windsor has been very welcoming and accommodating to the medical students and the transition from Windsor Community Hospitals to Windsor Teaching Hospitals has been worthwhile.”
Steve Malone, Class of 2014
“It has been a privilege to spend medical school with such an impressive group of colleagues. From day one, I was struck by their brilliance, their work ethic, their humour and their humility.
Members of our class converged on Windsor carrying degrees from universities spanning North America – from the Maritimes to northern California. Approximately one quarter of us had prior ties to Essex County. Of those who came from other locations, I was amazed by how quickly they embraced the region, especially in the way they gave back to the community. Almost immediately, they undertook a number of charitable and educational endeavours. These have included the Schulich Windsor health lecture series, blood and bone marrow drives, “Brain Day” teaching at local grade schools, a refugee health clinic, a COPD/CHF clinic, carol singing at nursing homes and a picnic/hike with traumatic brain injury survivors. In addition, the class held several fundraising efforts for its official charity, the Canadian Mental Health Association. There were also initiatives for non-local causes, including Shinerama, Movember, Head for a Cure, MedOutreach and Operation Green.
Thank you sincerely to everyone – staff, preceptors, and members of the community - who has contributed so much to help the Class of 2014 on our journey. And to my classmates, thank you for the past four years, and I wish you the best of luck in residency and beyond.”
Wendy Kennette, Class of 2014
“Back in May 2010, I received the exciting news that I would be returning to my hometown to embark on a new career path in the field of medicine as part of the Class of 2014. Admittedly, I started on this journey with a little bit of apprehension since my life and that of my family was about to take a completely different turn. I had decided to leave a well-established career in research and move my husband and two children so that I could become a family physician. Starting medical school as a mature student was definitely not a decision that I took lightly.
Since arriving at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, I have been nothing but pleased with my decision. There are so many wonderful people associated with the program that helped ease my transition from the workplace back to the university classroom. Between the extremely helpful administration staff and the amazing clinical preceptors that are so eager to teach, I feel this School is second to none. Throughout my time here, I have found that the medical community has been so welcoming and willing to help all of the students gain as much practical experience as possible so that we may leave this program with the best training imaginable.”
