A student’s fateful trip to Trent’s Fall Open House a few years ago set a course for career success in the field of medicine.  

Arika Brown ‘18 discovered Trent’s Medical Professional Stream (MPS) at Open House, and is now the program’s first graduate to earn entry into the Trinity School of Medicine (TSOM) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, one of the medical schools with a partnership with Trent. 

“I grew up in the Peterborough area so I was naturally encouraged by teachers and others to study at Trent,” said Arika. “I decided to attend Open House, where I discovered the MPS program and was able to listen to professors and students talk about the program as an option for students interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. This convinced me that Trent was the right place for me.” 

Fast forward four years, and Arika is now a first-year student at a medical school that partners with Trent through the MPS to offer students the opportunity to enhance their undergraduate learning and gain a competitive edge in applying to medical school. 

A unique preparatory program

Through the MPS—a guidance program that Arika completed alongside her Biology B.Sc. degree—Arika received valuable non-academic support, resources, and opportunities that helped prepare her for the next step in her education and career.  

“The MPS at Trent holds a special spot in my heart because it provided me with an abundance of resources that helped prepare me for medical school applications, interviews, and writing the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test),” says Arika. “I am especially grateful to Linda Sweeting, the academic coordinator, who gave me continuous support and is just really invested in the success of the MPS students and is amazing.” Throughout the program, Arika was also able to take advantage of mentorship opportunities, seeking advice from upper year students in her early years and then returning the favour to first- and second-year students during her final year. 

Additionally, the wide range of course options recommended by MPS advisors covered similar content to the first two years of basic science review at Trinity. “This foundational knowledge has really helped me thus far in my first term of medical school in managing the overwhelming amount of material we learn,” Arika said. 

A future of life saving

As for what area of medicine Arika intends to specialize in, that depends when you ask her. “I’m kind of torn between emergency and family medicine,” said Arika. “I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie and volunteer as a firefighter—I love the rush when my pager goes off and don’t know what to expect. But I feel every week there’s a new pro and con to either of the fields of medicine, and I’m hoping my exposure and rotations in third and fourth year will help solidify what my path will be,” she said.