McMaster UGME

🏃‍♀️🥞 WRC Wellness recently hosted the “bRUNch,” a learner wellness event combining a morning run/walk with a potluck-style brunch.

Organized by Tara Sarkosh and Christiano Choo on behalf of WRC Wellness, the event brought together 10 C2028 runners and walkers in collaboration with Pacemakers, a learner running group that meets weekly for movement, coffee, and community.

After the run, learners gathered to enjoy brunch favourites including avocado toast, baked treats, fruit, and wellness-supplied snacks.

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Congratulations to the McMaster UGME Class of 2026 as they celebrated their Hippocratic Oath Ceremony, marking an important milestone in their journey through medicine.

Joined by family, friends, faculty, staff, and mentors, learners reflected on their time in medical school and the responsibilities, compassion, and commitment that will guide them into residency and beyond.

The ceremony also recognized the faculty, staff, residents, and learners whose contributions continue to strengthen the MD Program and learner experience across our community.

Congratulations, Class of 2026. We look forward to seeing the impact you will make as future physicians, advocates, and leaders in healthcare.

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Congratulations to Anita Chander (C2027) on presenting her research at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Annual Meeting in Washington.

Anita delivered an oral presentation on a scoping review examining visual outcomes and post-operative adverse events associated with light-adjustable intraocular lens implantation in cataract surgery.

This work was completed under the supervision of Dr. Sohel Somani and Dr. Eric Tam.

A fantastic achievement for Anita, highlighting her contributions to advancing innovation in ophthalmology and representing McMaster on an international stage!

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BrighterWorld

The Orthopedics Interest Group recently hosted a hands-on casting workshop at the Hamilton campus, welcoming 20 learners for an evening of practical skills development. 🦴

The session began with a teaching session from Dr. James Abesteh (PGY1) on the principles of splinting and casting, followed by live demonstrations of volar and dorsal splints and fiberglass short arm casts.

Learners then practiced these techniques in small groups, gaining early exposure to core orthopaedic skills — with some even taking home their first cast as a souvenir.

Organized by C2028 students Robert Taylor and Larry Nguyen, this session aimed to build confidence in foundational procedures while sparking interest in orthopaedics through hands-on learning.

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✨ Celebrating the Class of 2026

Earlier this month, learners gathered at the Art Gallery of Hamilton for the annual Grad Gala — an evening dedicated to celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2026.

With a MET Gala–inspired theme, the night featured a standout beatboxing performance, superlative awards, gallery viewing, and a lively dance floor to close out the celebration.

A memorable evening marking an important milestone — congratulations to the Class of 2026.

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🩺 Perioperative Skills Symposium

The Anesthesia Interest Group recently hosted the Perioperative Skills Symposium, welcoming 31 learners for a hands-on introduction to anesthesia and perioperative care.

The day featured a keynote from Dr. Amanda Whippey and a residency program overview from Dr. Michael Parrish, alongside rotating small-group stations led by 2 Anesthesia and 2 Internal Medicine residents (Dr. Anne Clayton, Dr. Sarah Flaherty, Dr. Faris Kapra and Dr. Ahmed Aldarraji).

Learners gained practical experience across four core stations: airway management and intubation, peripheral IV insertion, central line insertion using ultrasound guidance, and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) — building confidence in essential procedural skills while exploring a career in anesthesia.

The event was organized by C2028 Anesthesia IG co-chairs Larry Nguyen, Wenjun Jiang, Nicole Rob, and Richard Ma, with support from the C2027 Anesthesia IG team.

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🎉 Match Day Highlights

Earlier this week, campuses came together to celebrate the Class of 2026 with a day full of traditions and memorable moments.

At Hamilton, learners enjoyed medical-themed cookies, friendship bracelet making, and a Match Day raffle alongside the always-popular Match shirts and ballcaps.

At NRC, the celebration followed the theme “World Series – A Moment Years in the Making,” complete with a baseball-themed cake, trading cards, a Match draft board, and even Wii baseball to celebrate every “home run to residency.”

At WRC, the theme “You’re All That and a Bag o’ Chips” honoured what staff affectionately called their “snackiest class ever,” with a snack-themed cake, local food, and plenty of laughter shared with classmates, family members, and friends.

As you take the next steps in your training, know that your UGME community is cheering you on. Congratulations again to the Class of 2026 on reaching this milestone — we’re very proud of you.

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MacHealthSci BrighterWorld

🥗 WRC Service-Learning with Nutrition for Learning

The WRC Service-Learning team recently volunteered with Nutrition for Learning, a non-profit supporting more than 180 schools across Waterloo Region by providing free, healthy snacks and meals to students.

Learners helped prepare and serve food, and facilitated classroom conversations about food insecurity to better understand students’ experiences and support ongoing improvements to the program.

This volunteer experience gave WRC learners meaningful insight into food insecurity in local schools and the impact nutrition has on students’ ability to learn and thrive.

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Congratulations to Renee Fourier, NRC C2028, on winning 1st place for Best Oral Presentation in the trainee/resident/fellow category at the Perioperative Care Congress in Hamilton — an international conference organized by the Society for Perioperative Research and Care (SPRC).

Renee’s presentation examined temperature management during adult cardiac surgery, using data from the TheRAPy trial to compare outcomes between hypothermic and normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. Her work helps clarify how real-world practices differ and what factors influence choices in surgical temperature management.

In addition to her award-winning oral presentation, Renee also presented two posters on topics related to cardiac surgery, including atrial fibrillation ablation and perioperative hypertonic saline use.

Congratulations to Renee on this outstanding achievement and for representing NRC and McMaster UGME at an international research forum!

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