kathy wu: med student at mcmaster university

In this edition, we decided to explore a non-traditional career path from Ivey, by speaking to Kathy Wu. Kathy graduated from Ivey in 2020 and is now doing her medical degree at McMaster University.

What was your path from completing Ivey to the medical program at McMaster University?

I spent my first two years studying Medical Sciences, and I wrote my MCAT in my second-year summer. When I came to Ivey, I was very nervous about recruiting so I applied to jobs even though I wasn’t sure if I was interested in the industry.  I was lucky enough to get an offer at PWC.  Near the end of my summer internship at PWC, I learned more about other career opportunities at the firm including consulting, which interested me because of the focus on solving big picture problems. I was also thinking more about applying for medical school so I spent my fourth year working on applications, and after being accepted to McMaster’s program, I took a month to think it over and accepted in June after graduation.

What were the influential moments in your university experience that solidified your interest in med school?

When I was in high school, I didn’t know if I was more interested in science or business which led me to pursue a dual degree. My first two years of Medical Science were interesting but lacked applicability, and I didn’t feel passionate about medicine because at that time I just saw the memorization behind it. In my third year, I had more exposure to medicine through courses at Ivey and extracurriculars, which made me interested in some of the problems that Canada and other countries’ health-care systems are facing. It made me curious as to if someone with a MD and Ivey degree could work to tackle those problems.

How has your experience in business (both in your internship and at Ivey) informed your experience of the medical profession?

My first corporate experience at PWC was so valuable for me in teaching me skills about communication, professionalism, and collaborating in a large team. From an academic perspective, Ivey is one of the first programs that forces you to work in a team. Similarly, Medical School is structured with problem-based learning with each patient as a problem scenario, just like Ivey’s case-based method. There is still a focus on contributing in class, and teaching concepts to your classmates while also learning from them.

Medicine is an incredibly competitive path to pursue.  Have you experienced imposter syndrome through your journey? If so, have you found ways to tackle it?

Imposter syndrome is talked about a lot in medical school. I think it’s important to remember that every journey is totally unique and should be respected. No matter how random experiences seem, they’ve taught you skills that can be applied. I’ve definitely used skills I learned at Ivey or at PwC while in medical school. Even though other people might seem like they know more about an industry or career, you are in the exact same place they are and equally qualified to be there.

What is one thing you wish someone told you during your time at Ivey, either regarding general recruiting or pursuing a career path in medicine? 

If you aren’t happy where you are, you still have time to get to where you want to go. There is no deadline for you to complete something by a certain age. If your summer internship wasn’t exactly what you wanted to do, you can still pivot for full time. I was in audit in my third-year summer. The next year was focusing on pivoting towards something else I liked. It’s important to realize you have time to keep changing and not be afraid to go to another career.

Do you have any other advice for HBA students exploring different career opportunities?

It’s important to realize that you have a great support system. Whether you go through career services or friends, there are always people who have gone through the same situation and can help give you advice. When I was preparing for MMI (the Medical School interview), all my friends would help me prep and come up with questions. My professors helped write reference letters and were incredibly encouraging. I also talked to an upper year student who had gone from Ivey to medical school to ask for advice through the transition. Overall, there’s always people rooting for you and it’s okay to lean on them if needed!