SARAH KOPAK Class of 2007 Interviewed by Michelle Noble | June 2016
S
arah Kopak (or Szarkowicz, as we remember her), has been busy over the past nine years studying to
become a doctor at the Medical University of Warsaw in Poland. A 2007 graduate, Sarah explains the pros and cons of studying abroad, the hoops she has had to jump through to transfer her accreditation back to Canada, and some of the craziest experiences she has endured during her journey to becoming a doctor.
ABOVE: Sarah leaning on a brain model while studying in first-year anatomy class.
It is such a pleasure to catch up with
I received an acceptance letter to
was always one of the ‘brave ones’
you, Sarah! Thank you for taking the
the Medical University of Warsaw.
in my family and could handle blood
time. What motivated you to move
Opportunity struck and I took it.
and dress gruesome wounds. All
back to Poland after graduation?
(There was also a summer fling in
those factors added up into the idea
Poland that tipped the scales ever so
of giving medicine a shot.
Graduating from Mulgrave, I was so pumped up, I felt like I was
slightly.)
Has it been a smooth transition from
invincible. I wanted to do something
When did you first know you wanted
Poland to Canada, or have there
bold and outstanding with my
to become a doctor?
been some hoops you’ve had to jump
future. My options were quite obvious - either I follow my passion for music or I push myself out of my comfort zone and do something extraordinary. Following the second option, I was accepted to SFU for Health Sciences as my pre-med. Everything was too perfect, I knew there had to be a curveball coming. During the last week of summer,
That’s a tough question. I have
through?
admired my family doctor, Dr. Bertha
Definitely a lot of hoops! So many
Brisco, since I was a little girl. She
hoops in fact, that they sort of scare
was definitely the one who sparked
me to get started. Getting your
my interest in medicine. As I grew
international medical credentials
older, I was finding that Biology
transferred to be able to practice in
was one of my favourite subjects in
Canada is a very lengthy process.
school, especially when the topics
Not only do I have to take a few
were about the human body or
exams, I also have to complete
animals and involved dissecting. I
another internship. Currently, I’m
ABOVE: Sarah with her sisters in front of the Chopin Statue in Lazienki Park where the Polish aristocrats would hunt in the 1800’s. ABOVE: Sarah with her classmates at Christmas.
studying for my Medical Council of
of life, a pediatrician is the primary
crossroad in my career because I
Canada Qualifying exam (the first of
doctor. During my Pediatrics and
still have so many paths I can take
three) and looking into volunteering
Neonatology rotation during my
and options to choose from.
at a hospice and Lions Gate Hospital.
internship, I felt excited to go to
What would your dream job be once you’ve officially become a doctor in Canada?
work in the morning, and that is when I realised where my focus should be. Doctors without Borders has always
A crossroad can be an exciting place to be – there’s so much possibility! Did you learn any skills at Mulgrave that have helped get you to where you are today?
After my internship in Poland
been a dream of mine, as well. I will
where I got to experience all the
never forget when I was in Grade 11
Not to brag, but my study skills and
wards in the hospital, I have to
at Mulgrave and they came to the
notes are impeccable to perfection.
say that I have grown a passion
school to give a presentation about
I was always the one in my year that
for Neonatology. Whenever I give
being a volunteer. I remember I went
others would photocopy notes from.
this answer, it’s always followed by,
home that day and told my mom,
It was not only my colour coding
“What’s neonatology?” When an
“Mama, I’m going to Africa to help
and note-taking skills that Mrs.
infant is born, it is referred to as
the sick.” Mom looked at me and
Laursoo taught me in Gr. 10 and 11
a neonate for the first 28 days of
said, “My child, become a doctor
biology, but also my outside-of-the-
life. During this time, the doctor is
first, then you’ll be a bigger help.”
box thinking that helped me make
called a neonatologist; after 28 days
I guess right now I’m at a bit of a
mnemonics, doodles, or songs to
ABOVE: Sarah with friends at the European Championships in Warsaw in 2012.
help remember important symptoms
post-war communism is still very
more memorable experiences. I
and treatments of diseases. The work
fresh in people’s minds, especially in
was in my fifth-year studies and in
ethic that was instilled in me at Mulgrave
the older generation, and that is why
my second year of gynecology and
has stayed with me to this day.
people are a bit more cautious.
obstetrics clinical studies. We were
What is the biggest difference between Polish and Canadian culture? The openness of people here in Canada. Even though I’ve lived here for most of my life, it was a bit of a shock in March when I moved back after almost nine years abroad. In Poland, people you don’t know don’t randomly talk to you on the street or in the stores. Openness and friendliness to strangers is very rare,
“
in the middle of a lecture, and one of
THE WORK ETHIC THAT WAS INSTILLED IN ME AT MULGRAVE HAS STAYED WITH ME TO THIS DAY.
”
What is the craziest story so far
from your journey to becoming a doctor?
the senior doctors ran into the room saying that a patient was ready to pop out a baby and asked who was willing to help. I was already putting on my doctor’s coat and running up to him before he could finish his sentence. My job during the delivery was to hold the patient’s legs back and to keep an eye on the father in case of any fainting. It was a lengthy delivery, but a healthy boy, whom they named Filip, was born.
at least where I lived in the capital,
Seeing a live birth up close and
Another, maybe more frightening
Warsaw. I think that the war and
personal was definitely one of the
experience, was during my first-year
SARAH KOPAK
“
FOLLOW YOUR HEART AND BE DARING BECAUSE THIS IS HOW DREAMS ARE MADE.
”
summer practice. Every summer we
medicine. And not only that, but
to transfer back home during their
had to complete at least one month
finding a passion for medicine. It
last year of studies. I, on the other
of a particular training. Since the
is not only a profession for me, but
hand, got engaged and decided to
first year of medical school was all
an interesting puzzle that slowly
stay in Poland to do my internship
theory, this summer practice was my
unfolds the more I learn.
there. There are a lot of pros and
first contact with patients… ever! It was a nursing practice, and I chose to do it in the gastroenterology
Would you recommend studying abroad to become a doctor?
cons to studying abroad, but nothing will beat experiencing a different culture.
ward of one of the most well-known
As many of my professors have
teaching hospitals in Poland. A lady
told me, ‘it depends’ is never a
was admitted from England, and
wrong answer. I chose to do my
‘FAME - I’m gonna live forever!’
since she didn’t speak any Polish,
medical schooling abroad, first of
Being part of the cast of Fame in
the nurses put me in charge of her.
all because my family is Polish and I
Grade 12 was definitely the most
One day, the nurses told me to move
would spend most of my summers
unforgettable experience of my final
some hospital beds from one room
there visiting friends and family.
year at Mulgrave. Sometimes I even
to another, and as a reward, I could
Since the language and culture
catch myself subconsciously dancing
go home a bit early. The next day I
were not foreign to me, and they
the moves that Mrs. Hugh-Grant
came in, and the lady from England
offered a medical programme in
taught us.
had a broken nose, missing teeth,
English, I figured it was worth a
and her whole face was bruised. It
shot. Another bonus was that there
turns out that she fell out of her bed
were no pre-med courses required.
because the bed rails weren’t raised.
A six-year programme straight
Of course, the blame was on me.
out of high school seemed like a
That was a hard one to get out of!
My motto has always been, ‘If you’re
good deal. At the time, I didn’t do a
gonna do something, you might as
lot of research about transferring
well do it right’. Follow your heart
credentials back to Canada, which
and be daring because this is how
is something I regret. Many of my
dreams are made. A strong work
Probably completing my next
peers from Canada or US studying
ethic always pays off in the end.
level of education, which as you
with me did their research and
have probably guessed by now, is
actually took all the required exams
What is your biggest accomplishment since graduating from Mulgrave?
Favourite Mulgrave memory?
Any advice or words of wisdom for our current Grade 12s who are nearing graduation?
Sarah Kopak, 2016