Most undergraduate students pursuing a career in medicine don’t get experience in a clinical setting until medical school.  

At Trent,  a partnership with the Peterborough Regional Health Centre gives select Biomedical Science students the opportunity to be embedded in the hospital and see first-hand what it is like to be a doctor.  

Fourth-year student Alexander Vassiliadis (Gzowski College) earned a spot in the Internship in Medical Sciences (BIOM 4460H) and credits the opportunity to learn in the hospital with helping to advance his knowledge and career goals.  

“At the hospital, I was able to apply many of the concepts from courses I was taking or had taken already. For example, the doctors I shadowed were talking with me about topics in pharmacology, biomedical ethics, pathophysiology, and more,” says Alexander. “Being in direct contact with doctors and others in the healthcare team, I also had the chance to ask questions about the medical school application process, and what skills they think are valuable to develop for a future doctor.” 

Beyond developing practical skills in biomedical sciences and planning for his future, Alexander says there are a few important things he learned about himself after being on the front line of healthcare.   

“I learned a lot about how I could deal with pressure. Being in some of these serious situations was stressful, but I felt that I could deal with that stress,” says Alexander. “I also learned that I am confident in novel situations. Being in an operating room can be nerve-wracking but I felt that my academic knowledge gave me confidence and made me feel like I can face any situation.” 

Watch Alexander’s interview to learn more about the internship.  

Learn more about work-integrated-learning experiences in the Biology Department at Trent.