Generosity

A boost to student mental wellness, fuelled by MD Class of ’92

AUTHOR

LAURA VEGA

PHOTO BY

MELISSA FABRIZIO

EDITED BY

SASHA ROEDER MAH

ALUMNI CAME TOGETHER TO PROMOTE STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH BY ESTABLISHING AN AWARD FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS

THE IDEA WAS born in 2017, when the MD Class of 1992 were preparing to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their graduation. A very close group, the graduates felt strongly the absence of those who wouldn’t be at the reunion, especially a classmate who took his own life shortly after they graduated.

To honour his memory, Dilini Vethanayagam, ’92 MD, associate professor in the Department of Medicine, spearheaded a project to collect donations from her graduating class and create an award for new U of A medical students who become involved with mental-health initiatives.

“There are wonderful mental health services available, but people currently look for them only when they are struggling a lot.”

The class raised enough funds to set up an endowment for an award—to be presented for the first time during the 2018-2019 academic year—for eligible first- and second-year medical students.

The new award is a step in the right direction for this pressing area of patient care, says Alberto Choy, ’92 MD, U of A Department of Psychiatry. “There are wonderful

Dilini Vethanayagam, ’92 MD, associate professor of medicine

mental health services available, but people currently look for them only when they are struggling a lot. People now think of taking time out of their day to exercise; it is important that people remember that being well is working out physically a few times a week, and also taking care of each other mentally a few times a week or every day.”

Equally important, adds Jonathan Choy, ’92 MD, clinical professor of cardiology and associate dean of clinical faculty, is breaking the stigma that surrounds mental health issues for health professionals and learners.

“If you told people you have cancer or heart disease and you’re going to get treatment, people wouldn’t think about it twice,” said (Jonathan) Choy. “But if you’re a physician and said, ‘I’m suffering from depression, anxiety or paranoia’ people would question if you can do your job. This view on mental health has to change.”

PASSION FOR EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND $1-MILLION GIFT TO THE SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY

Alumni Q & A: Tom Stevenson

AUTHOR

TARWINDER RAI

PHOTO BY

LAUGHING DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

TOM STEVENSON, ’73 DDS, spent 35 years working as an oral maxillofacial surgeon. Today, he is the associate chair of student affairs in the School of Dentistry at his alma mater. Recently, he and his wife Patricia made a $1-million gift to the School of Dentistry, with $300,000 supporting the Boyle McCauley Dental Clinic, enabling dental students to work with innercity patients. The remaining $700,000

Patricia and Tom Stevenson enjoy a walk on the U of A campus, where they first met as students more than 45 years ago.

establishes the Dr. Tom Stevenson and Mrs. Patricia Stevenson Student Support and Wellbeing Endowment, which will provide support for undergraduate students in Dentistry and Dental Hygiene.

WHERE HAS YOUR CAREER TAKEN YOU SINCE GRADUATION?

After graduating, I practised general dentistry for two years. In 1975, I went to Chicago to start a residency program in oral and maxillofacial surgery at the University of Illinois Medical Center and Cook County Hospital. I then moved back to Edmonton after completion and started my own practice, South Edmonton Oral Surgery, in 1980. I joined the School of Dentistry in 1981 as a part-time instructor. After retiring from my practice, I became a full-time clinical professor.

HOW DID YOU GET INTERESTED IN DENTISTRY?

I had a passion for anything medical since junior high—just check my yearbook. I chose dentistry because I remember thinking it was something I did with my hands, involved creativity and independence. I have a bit of a creative background. During my pre-dent years in university I had a huge passion for dentistry and I was so pleased when I was accepted. I always had an interest in medicine and I found a great mix between medicine and dentistry as an oral maxillofacial surgeon.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO GIVE?

I come from a humble background. My dad was a carpenter and my mother a registered nurse. He always wanted the education that I had but didn’t have the opportunity. I was the first one in my family to go to university. It shaped what we do as far as supporting things. My wife Pat and I recognize that we haven’t been successful in anything without the help of other people in the background. We feel fortunate in the opportunities we’ve had in Edmonton and Alberta, and that we can give back. Also, over the past decade the School of Dentistry has come a long way. We recognized that, with our support, we can help keep this momentum going. With our gift we are able to do something that will have a positive effect on both our students and the patients that we serve.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WITH NEW DENTISTRY STUDENTS?

When I decided to come back to teach full time, I had one goal: I wanted my students to be better than me. I tell our students dentistry is hard work. People think it is easy, but it isn’t. My father always told me, “Don’t watch the cash register, watch your patients.”

“With our gift we are able to do something that will have a positive effect on both our students and the patients that we serve.”

Dentistry is not a job; it’s a career. Dental school is challenging and demanding and you can expect to put in long hours and work hard. Also, learning doesn’t end with graduation. Professional practice, while rewarding, is also lifelong learning. I feel that my students have it harder than my generation in that there is more to learn, they will be graded and judged on social media, and the expectations of our patients is higher.

“Dentistry is not just about teeth; it is about the patients that we treat.”

Dentistry is not just about teeth; it is about the patients that we treat. I have found that one of the greatest rewards is talking to my patients. It can be a humbling experience when you hear about some of the problems and challenges your patients experience in their lives.

Boyle McCauley dental clinic expansion underway

Thanks to ongoing donor support, low-income patients and families get access to care and U of A dentistry students get hands-on experience through a community partnership.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM DENTAL SCHOOL?

It’s meeting my wife here at the U of A. She was a dental hygiene student and it was the start of a romance that has lasted more than 46 years and a partnership that has made our gift possible.