December 13^th, 2018

There’s a common theme among those who’ve achieved success and are leaders in their field that might not seem obvious at first, especially to students whose futures seem so unpredictable and intimidating. Burdened with the pressure of needing to know what career path to take in their lives, many students are afraid to make “the wrong choice” about what to pursue in their post-secondary journey.

But what Dr. Peter Dodek, a mentor with Science World’s “Scientists and Innovators in Schools” program, taught us yesterday in MacNeill’s Library Learning Commons, is that one’s education and career path is rarely linear. In fact, his own educational trajectory from a chemistry student to a physician was constantly shaped by inspirational mentors, chance opportunities, and unexpected connections. More importantly, his education was ongoing, continuing even after he started his career.

Many of the students in the audience are interested in pursuing a career in medicine or health science, either as doctors or researchers. Unsurprisingly, a lot of questions focused on the stress of medical school and the possibility of networking in research. Dr. Dodek offered a realistic perspective, yet never strayed from how rewarding his profession was.

In fact, a major component of his presentation emphasized his research into organizational culture, addressing burnout and stress from academic studies or the demands of the work. We learned that how staff feel about their work environment impacts patient care, and in a profession like medicine, the impact could literally mean life or death, not to mention the costly resources required to train these professionals. It was quite a shock to learn that back when his team first conducted the study, the number of deaths associated with medical intervention per day was the equivalent of a 747 plane crashing and claiming the lives of everyone on board.

The MacNeill Library Learning Commons strives to encourage learning and thinking in engaging and alternative contexts; we are very grateful for Dr. Dodek’s perspective and experience, and we are extremely appreciative of Science World’s educational outreach programs.

"Making is fundamental to what it means to be human. We must make, create and express ourselves to feel whole. There is something unique about making physical things. These things are like little pieces of us and seem to embody portions of our souls"

Mark Hatch The Maker Movement Manifesto