To start off, say a little about yourself, your interests, undergraduate degree and what you are doing now. “Hi everyone! My name is Simal Qureshi and I’m from Stephenville, Newfoundland! I love to spend time with family, explore local coffee shops, and watch movies in my free time! I started my UNB journey back in 2015 as a Renaissance College (RC) student. After completing my B.Phil in Interdisciplinary Leadership, I decided to come back to UNB for round two and complete a Master’s in Applied Health Services. I started medical school this past fall at Memorial University of Newfoundland and am grateful and excited to embark on this new journey!”

Was there an event or organization that you were involved in, that helped solidify your interests in pursuing medical school? “As part of RC’s curriculum, we are required to complete an international internship during the summer of our second year. A few of my classmates and I had the opportunity to go to Ireland and shadow doctors in the pediatrics ward. This was an incredibly eye-opening experience as we had the chance to understand a physician’s work ethic, physician-patient interaction, as well as sat in on lunch forums and engaged with medical professionals. Additionally, my Master’s research focused on cultural sensitivity experiences of South Asian patients. Despite having learned about concepts such as equity, intersectionality, colonialism, and social determinants of health in my undergrad, hearing the perspectives and stories of interviewees and the difficulties they’ve encountered due to cultural insensitivity and systemic racism reminded me that the path to a bright and equitable future is still ahead of us. So it’s important for us to advocate, spread awareness, and do our best to educate ourselves and others in order to help folks from any minority or vulnerable background.”

What would your best advice be to incoming students interested in medical school? “As I’m sure many of you have heard, success is not a linear path, and as cliché as that sounds, it is true! Though it may seem that many of your friends or people you know have gotten in on their first try, just remember that the number of attempts you take to enter medical school does not diminish your worth or intelligence. If anything, it illuminates your passion and tenacity- two qualities that are imperative for being a doctor. So if you get in on your first try, that is amazing, good for you! But for anyone who doesn’t- don’t be too hard on yourself because ten years from now, no one is going to remember how many times you wrote the MCAT or gave an interview. What’s going to matter is the open-minded and empathetic way you interact with patients and other professionals in the healthcare field. So my advice would be to use your undergrad and Master’s experiences to explore developing those skills- teamwork and leadership skills- those will be some of your most powerful assets in medical school.”

What would be your most impactful experience during undergrad? “I’m not going to lie- this question took me a while because there are so many incredible, impactful experiences I had during undergrad.  One of the most memorable experiences was definitely in my first year when RC was part of an event at the SUB to welcome refugees from Syria. Meeting so many families made me think about the incredibly difficult barriers they’ve overcome but also the newfound challenges they would have becoming accustomed to a new country. It made me think about the responsibility I have to ensuring people from all backgrounds feel welcomed and accepted in society, but also made me reflect on areas where I can improve to ensure I’m continuously challenging myself to learn more about my privilege and how to become a stronger ally. Additionally, as a future physician, it’s key to remember that we’ll have a lot of power and privilege behind us, so it’s important to never take that for granted and use it to advocate for those who need our help. But part of being an ally and an advocate is also knowing when to stand up and when to sit down. So know that, as an ally, we should never speak FOR someone- everyone has a voice. What we should do is help them up on the platform we have such easy access to and empower vulnerable voices and learn from them.”

What do you wish you had done differently to prepare for medical school? “I wish I had relied on my friends more. Not only the ones who were also studying for the MCAT and applying but those who were going their own paths, whether it be working, studying for a different career, or just taking a year off. I think the people I have learned most from are the ones who have different interests and passions than me. Conversing with these people is not only fun to listen and learn from but it’s also a good de-stressor- something I desperately needed when preparing for medical school.”

What is the hardest aspect of applying to professional school? “The hardest aspect of applying to professional school is probably the stress and second-guessing yourself that comes along with it. It’s so easy to overanalyze every decision, application, and performance. This can all become overwhelming very fast too, so I have one suggestion that may help. 😊 When making the next big decision of your life, like professional school, a new job, or moving to a new province, instead of looking at how much work lies ahead of you, every once in a while, go ahead and look back, and be PROUD of all you’ve done up to date. The long nights, hard exams, failed assignments- those are all barriers you have successfully overcome. YOU! So regardless of wherever you are in the complicated journey that is life and school- whether it’d be finishing your first semester of university or submitting an application for medical school- remember the valuable accomplishments that have shaped you into the confident and resilient human being you are today. That matters as much as future acceptances.”

If you could go back and change one thing about your education to this point what would it be? “I would go back and make more of an effort to learn from other disciplines earlier on in my degree. UNB is home to many diverse and interesting degrees and I believe cross-discipline exposure is so valuable. By venturing outside our own faculty bubble, sometimes we’re better able to identify our weaknesses, amplify our strengths, and ultimately learn from one another. I think developing interpersonal skills and recognizing areas where we can improve and work together will not only aid us later in life but make our university experience more enjoyable (and we’ll make some pretty cool friends along the way)!”