Rebecca Hay

Career Path: Medicine

• MD Program (University of Calgary)

Biography

I graduated from the B.Sc. Honours Neuroscience and Mental Health in 2016 and found the best part of Carleton Neuroscience was the faculty. Every professor I had was so enthusiastic about the course material, which creates such a positive atmosphere. And within the department, there’s such an amazing sense of community. I found that once I started volunteering in events like the Brain and Mental Health art show, I met so many amazing people from fellow undergraduates, to graduate students, to the professors themselves. It’s a tight-knit department, which I think is a rare find and helped make my experience so amazing.

Advice for Current Students

It sounds so cheesy and overused, but get involved! Find what you love doing, and go for it. My best memories from my undergrad are with Dr. Abizaid’s lab, from both the incredible people and the research experience. I was very interested in the research process and got involved volunteering, which led to my honours thesis, then to a position as a research assistant, and even presenting at the Society for Neuroscience conference in Chicago. When I began I had no clue where I would take my degree, but being around such inspiring people helped me ultimately decide to pursue medical school.