University of Toronto: Everton Gooden, Head and Neck Surgeon - North York General Hospital

TL;DR

A former hockey player overcomes challenges, follows their passion for medicine, and finds success at the University of Toronto.

Transcript

Like anything else in life, things tend to flow where there’s least resistance. My immediate circle of friends loved hockey. Any free time I had was spent planning how I was going to incorporate hockey to fill that free time. It just enabled me to fit in a little bit better. I remember being worried and concerned about the future. That “Boy, what a... Read More

Key Insights

• 🏑 Pursuing a passion, like hockey, can shape an individual's priorities and enable them to fit in better with their social circle.
• ✋ Parents' expectations and the desire for more opportunities can strongly influence a person's decision to pursue higher education.
• 😷 Exposure to real-life medical settings and interactions with professionals can spark a dream and passion for a medical career.
• 👯 The skill and motivation of people surrounding an individual can significantly impact their potential for success.
• 🧑‍🎓 A university with diverse and talented students can provide a motivating environment for personal and academic growth.
• 💗 Every encounter, positive or negative, provides an opportunity to learn and grow.
• 🧑‍🎓 The University of Toronto offers a breadth of expertise and resources to support students in various fields.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the individual's love for hockey influence their life choices?

The individual's love for hockey shaped their priorities and how they spent their free time, allowing them to fit in better with their immediate circle of friends.

Q: What were the expectations of the individual's parents regarding their education?

The individual's parents prioritized higher education and wanted their children to pursue it, recognizing the opportunities it could provide them that they didn't have themselves.

Q: How did the individual's job at the hospital further motivate their pursuit of medicine?

Working in the housekeeping department at the hospital gave the individual the opportunity to observe the operating room and interact with a surgeon, which ignited their dream and passion for the field.

Q: How did the University of Toronto contribute to the individual's success in medicine?

The University of Toronto provided the individual with a motivating environment, exposure to high-caliber students, and access to a wide range of expertise and resources, which contributed to their progress in the field.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The individual's love for hockey led them to prioritize and plan their free time around the sport.

• Despite concerns about the future, they were motivated to pursue higher education due to their parents' expectations and the opportunities it could bring.

• Working in the housekeeping department of a hospital allowed them to catch a glimpse of the operating room and ignited their dream of practicing medicine.