Stephanie de Waal
Community: Barrhead, Alberta
Medical school: University of Calgary
Watching her physician father and his colleagues invest themselves personally and professionally in a rural community has led Stephanie de Waal to enter the profession with her eyes wide open.
She hopes to continue to share that viewpoint with others she encounters on her journey to become a physician.
The University of Calgary medical student is one of several medical students who were recently selected to receive the annual RhPAP Rural Medical School Award. The award provides a one-time contribution of $5,000 to assist with the student’s tuition, accommodation, living, and/or professional development expenses.
“The rural physicians in my life work hard,” writes de Waal in her award application.
“Growing up, I was able to observe the hours and dedication that is required to provide good care. During years where there were physician shortages in the community, sometimes my father and his colleagues had to work 24-hour shifts every four nights. They sacrificed family time to keep the doors of the emergency department open to be the community.”
De Waal acknowledges her career path won’t be easy.
“There will be difficulties in each medical specialty, but I want to embrace the challenge that comes with serving underserved communities and working in low-resource settings,” she explains. “The physicians I grew up with inspired me to advocate for these communities.”
The third-year medical student is currently completing her clerkship in Brooks.
De Waal is passionate about sharing the attributes and challenges of rural medicine with fellow students and instructors.
“I want to advocate for rural communities and for the physicians that work in these communities. They work hard to adapt with low resources,” she explains, noting the wide scope of practise they work with.
“As I was growing up, I was able to appreciate the variety that most of the physicians had in the community. They worked in clinic, emergency, [with] inpatients, long-term care and obstetrics….”
“I recognize that I will never be the expert in one field, but I will be able to adapt the knowledge I have to many various situations.”
Check out the full list of RhPAP Medical School Award winners here.