Meet Grace Wang & Marko Popovic: MedSoc VP Internal Affairs
What are your main responsibilities as VP Internal Affairs?
Marko: As VP Internal Affairs, I work with a team of dedicated students to oversee and manage the medical school clubs system. We are in charge of advocating for more than 70 clubs by improving financial and administrative opportunities. As well, we actively promote organizations to students and also regulate the operations of clubs. Beyond the clubs system, we liaise with OHPSA to advance the personal and professional development of students. We also work closely with the Alumni Relations Office to design initiatives for student philanthropy and charitable giving. Finally, we are in charge of the regular maintenance of the student lounge spaces at St. George and MAM.
Grace: I work closely with Marko to coordinate all the internal affairs clubs for medical students at U of T. This means helping clubs with promotions and event logistics, as well as helping new clubs form under MedSoc. We also take part in philanthropic initiatives, and work with the Office of Health Professions Student Affairs (OHPSA) to improve the student experience. As the VP Internal Affairs for MAM, I ensure that students of both campuses are afforded equal accessibility to events. Some of my specific roles include running social events at MAM, running MAM clothing sales, looking after the lounge and liaising between MAM students and administration.
Are there any upcoming extracurricular events/programming that students should know about?
Marko: On January 17, we proudly hosted our first annual Career Fair alongside OHPSA, the MAA and the Alumni Relations Office. Here, we connected interest group leaders, residents, staff and program directors from over 20 different specialties with more than 150 interested students in first and second year in a relaxed, informal environment. Based on collected feedback, students were very receptive to this approach and it is something that we hope to continue in the years ahead.
Over the next few weeks, we will be introducing a collaborative project with the Alumni Relations Office on student philanthropy. We hope to galvanize student support for an important philanthropic initiative of the Faculty of Medicine that will be announced shortly. Finally, next fall we will host our annual Clubs Fair, which showcases our diverse clubs to first year students. I encourage all students to attend. Each year, the excitement is palpable and the opportunities are boundless.
Grace: We will also be sending out our winter recruitment package in February, which will contain all of the executive positions that internal affairs clubs are recruiting for this term.
How can students become more involved in the student community?
Marko: For students, my message is simple: never be afraid to reach out, and please let me know if you are ever looking for opportunities and do not know where to start.
Grace: Follow your passions by joining clubs and attending events that satisfy your interests! If you’re still trying to find your favourite specialty: attend as many career interest group sessions as you can. In addition, there is a vast array of social, religious, diversity, athletic, and also community affairs clubs you can delve into, as well as different longitudinal educational electives in intriguing topics that you can attend throughout the year.
How and when can students get in touch with you?
Marko: Students are always welcome to contact me by e-mail at marko.popovic@mail.utoronto.ca. From there, I can set up face-to-face meetings to discuss club ideas, involvement, and ratification, as well as answer any questions that students may have. I also try to incorporate the student voice through presentations at our monthly MedSoc Executive Meetings. In this way, students that are not on MedSoc can share in the decision-making efforts that have far-reaching impacts on our community.
Grace: E-mail me anytime at graceyang.wang@mail.utoronto.ca. You can also find me on Facebook.
How do you maintain a healthy work/study life balance? What do you enjoy doing?
Grace: I am passionate about finding a good work/life balance. School is a big part of my life, but I actively work to make time for friends, family, and extracurricular activities. For me, school and work mean nothing if you’re not surrounded by the people who helped you get there. Every day I am delighted by the activities I pursue outside the classroom, because I have the privilege of exploring my passions and continually learning from my remarkable colleagues.
Prioritization is really important. Figure out what matters to you the most at any given time – be it school, relationships, sports – and you can always find a way to make time for it. I enjoy eating and napping furiously, and I balance those interests out through weight lifting and sprinting frantically to class.
Marko: To me, balance comes from both assessing demands and self-reflection. In the first few weeks of medical school, we were presented with a virtually limitless number of opportunities that all seemed exciting and new. In this dynamic environment, I made sure to apply for positions only if I knew that I could give 100% of myself. As I have progressed throughout preclerkship, frequent self check-ins have allowed me to be in tune with my emotional and mental state and to respond when I have felt overwhelmed. Prioritization and scheduling have been essential during these times.
Outside of school, I enjoy playing basketball and staying on top of current events. In both, I have connected with some very talented classmates. I am convinced that we will have at least one 1T9 in the NBA and another as our Prime Minister one day!
