Jordyn Henderson

Hometown: Northern B.C.

What attracted you to medicine? 

I was always intrigued by the sciences and thought I would enjoy a career in healthcare. It was when I started to learn more about what the work of rural physicians, rural family physicians in particular, was like that I became excited about medicine. The variety of practice in rural family medicine not only provides a diverse and always exciting career but also allows the family doctor to support their community in many ways through the different aspects of their practice. There is something to be said for the connection you build with patients when you get to know them in the clinic and then also get to provide care as they deliver their baby or visit the ER. I think this is the most magical aspect of rural family medicine. 

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC/NMP?

A highlight of my medical school experience was my third-year integrated community clerkship in Terrace, BC. My partner and I fell in love with the community and my excitement for rural practice deepened. I also have many favorite memories with the amazing friends I made over the last 4 years. Late nights studying, bi-weekly stress relieving pedicures, and always lots of laughs. 

WHat is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

It can feel like a long and challenging 4 years, but at the same time it goes by very quickly. Remember what is most important to you and what will make you happy at the end of the day and keep this at the forefront of your mind when making the inevitable big decisions. 

What's next for you?

I’m very excited to be returning to Terrace for rural family medicine residency. I envision a full scope family practice encompassing clinic, obstetrics, and ER. My partner Kurtis and I are getting married in June and hope to settle in Terrace for our next chapter. We will be joined by our cat Mango and mini dachshund Piglet :) 

What are you looking forward to most about the program you’ve matched to and the community you'll be joining as a future resident?

I’m very excited and honored to be starting a residency program that will shape me into a physician ready to support BC’s rural communities. The healthcare team in Terrace is welcoming and kind and I look forward to learning from and working alongside them again. Terrace and the surrounding area is one of the most beautiful parts of our province. My partner and I are excited to continue exploring the land on foot and skis!

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Jujhar Sandhu

Hometown: Prince George, BC

What attracted you to medicine?

Throughout medical school, I naturally gravitated towards internal medicine for its ideal balance of intellectual challenge, collaborative problem-solving and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with patients.

I also appreciated the team-based nature of the field, where thoughtful discussions and shared decision-making are essential to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC/NMP?

Some of my most cherished memories come from those late-night calls or busy Clinical Teaching Unit rotations—moments when my team was tired but still found time to share laughs and form lasting friendships. This team spirit helped me push through and enjoy some of the toughest days and nights.
Big shoutout to the Sunny D Squad!!

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Medicine is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s important to take care of yourself, keep up with the hobbies you enjoy, maintain the relationships that ground you and set only one realistic learning goal each day. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in a field as vast and demanding as medicine.

As a wise classmate once told me, “It’s easier to absorb a drop of water each day than to take in the whole ocean at once.”

What’s next for you?

Before starting residency, I am taking the opportunity to go backpacking through Japan and Vietnam.

After that, I will be relocating to Vancouver to begin my residency in the UBC Internal Medicine program.

What are you looking forward to most about the program you’ve matched to and the community you’ll be joining as a future resident?

I am most excited to meet my amazing co-residents and to continue learning from the incredible mentors in Vancouver as I build on my diagnostic and clinical skills. I’m also really looking forward to the opportunity to complete rotations in rural communities in Northern B.C., especially in my hometown, Prince George.

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Michaela Kelly

Hometown: Kamloops

What attracted you to medicine?

I have always had a deep reverence for the human body and an interest in health care, but I did not always know I wanted to be a physician. In my work before starting medicine, I saw some of the ways in which assumptions and stigma created barriers to care, and also the profound difference it made when someone felt truly seen and supported by their health care provider. This drew me to medicine, along with the opportunity to provide care to people across the life-span and during some of their most vulnerable moments. Family medicine in particular seems like a great opportunity to combine advocacy, patient-centred care, and lifelong learning – some of my favourite elements of medicine. 

What is your favourite moment from your time in the NMP?

One poignant memory is from the last day of our first year. On the morning of our last exam, we settled into our seats after picking up the routine pencil, ear plugs, calculator (and chocolate). Even though we were exhausted and nervous, the chit chat, jokes, and support that were normal for our class filled the room. When it was time to quiet down and start the exam, the supervisor announced that in all his years of teaching, he had never heard so much laughter before an exam. For me, this moment sums up the collegiality of our class, which had a great impact on me and was the foundation for many more favourite moments over the past 4 years.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering medicine?

Medicine is not a one-size fits all pursuit. Definitely find support from peers and seek advice from colleagues who have been on this journey, but remember that it’s okay to take your own approach to learning, studying, and the CaRMS process (and to life in general). Try to make time to reflect on what makes you you, and on things that have worked well for you in the past. You don’t have to start from scratch just because you’re a medical student now! (spoken from a tea-drinking handwriter who thought she needed to start drinking copious amounts of coffee and typing notes on her computer in the first weeks of med school -  spoiler alert, she didn’t).

What’s next for you?

In July, I’ll be moving to Hazelton, BC to start my residency in the Rural Immersion Family Medicine program through UBC.

What are you looking forward to most about the program you’ve matched to and the community you’ll be joining as a future resident?

I am very grateful to have the opportunity to train in Hazelton. My goal is to practice full-scope family medicine, and there seems to be a strong and diverse group of health care providers from which I can learn to do that. I am looking forward to having an integrated approach to my learning, including rounding on patients in the hospital, seeing patients in the clinic, and working in the emergency room all in the same week! It will be a gift (and a challenge, I’m sure) to do a little bit of everything all at once in this Rural Immersion program.