I returned to residency from maternity leave into a global pandemic. At a time when health care workers are being lauded as superheroes, I was scared to return to hospitals, to expose myself and potentially my family, to an infection that had taken hold of the world.
During these very uncertain times, staff at McGill have supported, encouraged and guided me. In years to come, if you ask me what my strongest McGill memory was, I will speak of the courage and kindness, embodied by the McGill community during the COVID-19 crisis.
These past few months have taught me that ‘crisis does not build character, it reveals it.’ I learned from my staff how to be realistic but positive in stressful times and how to keep safe, work together and above all, to continue to provide care, with compassion and empathy, to our most vulnerable patients.
My mentors at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre continue to encourage me to innovate, to adapt, to push the boundaries of technology, working together with me on building telehealth solutions that will help bolster our healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Medical staff at the Glen generously share their workspace so, as a breastfeeding mother, I am allowed a safe, private area to express and store milk, and study – I could not be more grateful.
The onsite RVH CPE/daycare staff who educate and care for our babies so that we, physician parents, can continue to care for our patients – these educators take risks by continuing to provide a healthy, safe and loving environment to the children of healthcare workers throughout the pandemic – they are our heroes.
Thank you to McGill's Postgraduate Medical Education and the resident wellness office which, now more than ever, play an important role in supporting the health and safety of all McGill residents.
I am proud to be a McGill resident and am inspired by the compassion, courage and commitment I see every day in our community.