What drove/inspired you to become a medical oncologist?

It all started when my father was diagnosed with Glioblastoma (brain cancer) half way through my medical school.  I took time off from school to care for him while he was going through treatment mainly radiation. He got really unwell after 3 months of the diagnosis and passed away.  His passing made me strive harder to complete medical school. 

 

In Australia, after completed medical school we have to do 2 years of junior doctoring before deciding a training program. I got on to the physician training  program (equivalent to internal medicine residency in Canada) .  I did multiple rotations in medical oncology and knew this is what I was meant to do. 

I only applied for one medical oncology training position and got it. I never looked back.  I completed 2 years of training in Medical Oncology in Asutralia. Then I decided to further do training by moving to Canada for a Lung Cancer Fellowship. 

 

This career is rewarding, being there for the patients during an extremely difficult diagnosis and navigating them through this journey. The intricacies of treatment also fascinates me. Also the field is so dynamic and with constant new progress and discovery, makes this career exciting. 

 

How did you get involved in COMBIEL?

I got involved as part of being a Clinical Lung Fellow with Lung group here at Princess Margaret. I am involved with a global health project supervised by Dr. Geoff Liu.  This is collaborative project between Princess Margaret cancer and three sites in Sub-Saharan Africe. The project is called LUNGS@AFRICA. 

 

Are you doing any research currently? If so, could you tell us a little more about it?

Currently, I am involved in the LUNGS@AFRICA project. This initiative aims to assess the feasibility of using liquid biopsies for genetic testing in lung cancer patients across Sub-Saharan Africa. We're exploring how this less invasive method can help identify targetable mutations in lung cancer, which could dramatically improve treatment outcomes. The project not only focuses on improving diagnostic tools but also seeks to understand lung cancer's epidemiological and environmental risk factors in the region.

 

Are there any future projects? What do you plan on doing/ achieving in the future?

I hope to secure a role as an academic medical oncologist. I would like to advance the field by dedicating myself to research, primarily in clinical trials, while strongly emphasizing delivering quality care to my patients.

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What drove/inspired you to become a medical oncologist?

As I previously mentioned, my inspiration to become a medical oncologist was deeply personal, rooted in my father's battle with cancer. My commitment is driven by the desire to improve cancer care and support patients and their families during their most challenging times.