Concordia MD

While his path to medicine was arduous, the rewards have been worth it for Dr. Habib Shaikh, BSc 98.

He currently works at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital with a focus on lymphoma and gastrointestinal malignancies. Shaikh says that what drives him every day is the opportunity to help people through a difficult disease, such as cancer.

How did Concordia contribute to your career?

My experience at Concordia not only laid the foundation for my current career, but was also formative to the person I am today. I was looking for an education that would give me the opportunity to apply what was I learning in a meaningful way. The biochemistry Co-op program offered that and more.

From knowledgeable and caring faculty, to well-designed lab experiments and the great work rotations, I was able to learn not only didactically but also experientially, allowing for a deeper understanding of the material and allowing for more advanced training in the future.

What is your advice for Concordia students who are contemplating a career in medicine?

Get experience by volunteering at hospitals or clinics because unless you want to work in a lab, the doctor-patient relationship should be something you are passionate about. Basic research is also important as a way to differentiate yourself. I was able to work in the labs at Concordia, which helped build my résumé when applying to medical school.

What was the most moving experience of your career?

In 2017, I was able to go on a medical mission to Bangladesh to work with Rohingya refugees. As an oncologist, I see the resilience of the human spirit on a daily basis working with cancer patients. I saw that same resilience on another level working with refugee patients who have been subjected to horrific circumstances and conditions.

I also learned that things we take for granted — such as physical safety, a full stomach and a bed to sleep in — truly are blessings that we should be thankful for.

For Dr. Maya Haasz, BSc 02 (chem. and biochem.), a commitment to service has been a constant, even before she chose a career in medicine. As an undergraduate, she served on the Concordia Student Union Council of Representatives, as an executive at Hillel and as an active volunteer.

At convocation Haasz was presented with the O’Brien Medal, awarded to an undergraduate student whose efforts and dedication best exemplify the values of Concordia within the larger external community.

“All those experiences led me to enjoy connecting with people and helping people, and now I get to do that every single day in a very meaningful way,” she says.

How did Concordia contribute to your career?

Any school is able to teach basic sciences, but the real advantage of Concordia was being involved in the Co-op program. That really allowed me to combine my classroom learning with real work experience. I was able to see the knowledge base I was developing in the classroom applied practically, which made learning more fun and gave me the opportunity to explore a variety of careers before choosing a direction. That was very helpful and solidified my decision to go into medicine.

What was the most exciting experience of your career?

I would say the most exciting moment was actually in my first month of being an attending physician. A toddler was rushed in because he had choked on a grape and when he got to us, he couldn’t breathe at all. We tried to do the Heimlich manoeuvre very aggressively but we couldn’t get the grape out — finally, I was able to pull it out of his airway. That’s probably the most exciting, but moving experiences happen on a daily basis.

Medicine is an exciting career, and it’s very gratifying. I personally couldn’t imagine doing anything else — I love walking into work every day at the beginning of a shift — but it’s also a humbling and challenging career.

As an obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Kristina Arion, BSc 12, might help deliver a baby and counsel another patient about the physical and emotional challenges of a life-threatening illness, all in the same day.

“I have to tell patients they have cancer — which can be really difficult — but then you also spend the journey with them through surgery and helping them with chemotherapy. You become an integral part of their lives,” says Arion.

How did your experience at Concordia contribute to your career?

I absolutely loved my Concordia experience and I wouldn’t have changed it in any way. I did a major in biology, as well as a minor in diversity and the contemporary world, which was part of the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability. It was a small community of students and we shared a lot of the same classes. We became very close with the professors, who gave us a lot of mentorship.

Was there anyone at Concordia who had a formative impact on your career?

Anna-Liisa Ainio at the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability always told us to express ourselves and be creative, which I didn’t always have while studying biology.

What advice do you have for Concordia students who are interested in medicine?

Have a diverse background. Of course it’s important to perform academically, but that isn’t the only thing that counts. The medical degree is a lot of work and residency is even more, so it’s important, if you can, to make the most of every opportunity that you have in your undergraduate degree to travel and discover the world.

In the medical school interviews, they will ask you questions about your life. Having been on a different path or having a passion are always things that make you stand out.

What was your most moving experience as a physician?

I think every day in medicine is moving. It’s hard to narrow it to one moment because I deliver babies every day and so partake in the happiest days of people’s lives. I see families come celebrate joy every day and that’s a heart-warming, contagious happiness.