Grade 12 student Opeyemi (Yemi) A. from the Sir Wilfred Laurier CI International Baccalaureate Program spent last summer with the 2025 Black Student Summer Leadership Program. She is interested in the health sciences and was placed in Toronto hospitals. We interviewed Yemi to learn more about her experience.
Where is your placement? What kind of activities are you doing?
My placement was at Centenary Hospital at Scarborough Health Network (SHN) and Toronto General University Health Network (UHN).
UHN was a three-day shadowing opportunity that myself and some other colleagues got to do as part of the UHN Stem Pathways Program.
I got to shadow nurses and doctors, and saw a total of five surgeries combined at Toronto General and Centenary. I also made phone calls, followed up with patients, did height and weight checks of patients, and stocked up medical supplies.
I saw multiple surgeries and procedures, including two c-sections and a natural birth delivery, a thoracic surgery and a laser surgery, the placement of a tube in someone's airway, and a minimally invasive surgery, which was done when removing lung cancer.
What have you learned so far?
I learned that being in healthcare is pretty demanding, but also a pretty rewarding position because you get to interact with so many people but also improve their quality of life as well. I also learned the type of doctor I want to be. My experiences have informed my mindset as to how I want to act and behave as a doctor. I want to be an OB-GYN.
What are your academic and career aspirations?
Academically I want to finish the IB program, but I also want to get my doctor of medicine. I want to be an OB-GYN, I am hoping to go to med school. I want to help Black women around the world, not just Toronto.
How has your placement supported you with your academic/career goals?
At UHN, the surgeon I was shadowing wasn't doing anything near what I wanted to do. But it really broadened my perspective on medicine. The surgeon also does research, I didn't know that was an option for me - to practice, do surgery, and do research alongside caring for patients. I want to support Black women specifically. A big issue that affects Black women are fibroids, so I want to do research on that. Before I thought I had to do research or practice medicine/caring for people, but now I know I can do both.
At Centenary Hospital, I got to see first-hand what I would be doing in the future. I was in the birthing centre for the majority of the time. I got to see the C-section, natural delivery, the epidural. I saw the prepping of the room, to the delivery, to afterwards. The experience really affirmed my decision to want to become a doctor and an OB-GYN. Now I know what I am getting into and I still want to do it.
What is the most interesting thing that you saw and what did you learn?
Actually seeing the procedures. Every procedure that I witnessed. I will talk about the c-section as that is the one that touched me the most. Just seeing it. Recognizing that this is actually a person, a person with a life. I would be responsible for two lives, the mother and the baby. This really showed me what medicine is about.
What advice do you have for future Junior Leaders?
I would say, to make the most of your placement by talking to your manager. Asking for things if you are not happy with where you are. Before I was in the paediatric department and that wasn't what I really wanted to do. But I asked to be in the maternity ward/ family birthing centre. I advocated for myself and they made it happen.