Student Spotlight: Biologie Biomédical student participates in pre-med shadowing study abroad program.
(July 20, 2023) - On July 14, 2023, Tori Laflamme, set to begin her 3rd year in biologie biomédicale this fall at Laurentian University, returned home after participating in an incredible 6-week pre-med shadowing study abroad program. This practical learning opportunity, organized by a foundation called Atlantis, found Laflammme shadowing surgeons at IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini in Genoa, Italy, and supporting medical research at Children’s National Hospital (CNH) in Washington, D.C.
Laflamme is a proud francophone who graduated from Sudbury’s Collège Notre Dame (2021). “I always knew I wanted to study medicine, and though I applied to many universities, I’m a homebody. Laurentian was the best option for me to study a bilingual degree, stay close to home, and obtain an education that prepares me to later apply to med school.”
For Laflamme, taking on a study abroad opportunity in her field was an “unbelievable experience, especially as a young student.”
When in Genoa, Laflamme was assigned to shadow surgeons in the operating room in general surgery, ophthalmology, and anatomical pathology. “At Laurentian, we do have practical lab work, but also learn a great deal of medical theory. This opportunity found me actually putting theory to practice and living the life of a typical surgeon. As students, we got to stand right beside surgeons at the operating table while medical professionals recited to us what was precisely taking place. It was pretty surreal.”
When in Washington, Laflamme engaged with peers under the supervision of medical staff to support a research study on the topic of the correlation between low income families, nutrition and mental health. “We found that children of low income families are predisposed to obesity which can make these children more susceptible to poor mental health.” Near the end of Laflamme’s posting at CNH, she and peers presented results to a team of senior executives. “Hopefully our results will support the development of resources for these families.”
While abroad, not only did Laflamme benefit from the experience of learning from a variety of medical practitioners, she also described the value of being immersed in cultural environments outside of her home community of Greater Sudbury. “On weekends and with a local guide, we toured many cultural sites that gave us the opportunity to explore which was pretty amazing.”
Laflamme encourages other students interested in educational opportunities abroad to take advantage. “Life is short. Live it up and listen to that gut feeling that says if you want to do it, do it. I discovered so much about myself while living this experience, and you can too.”
Once she completes her undergraduate degree, Laflamme intends to apply to medical schools in Canada and abroad. She is passionate about a career in medicine, and is eager for her educational journey to continue to flourish.
