News Archive

Alex Taylor | Fraser Site

Born and raised in Winnipeg alongside six siblings, Alex spent most of his childhood skateboarding, playing Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and exploring with friends. He completed his undergraduate studies at Western University, where he played football and pursued a degree in Kinesiology. After graduating, he played football for the Edmonton Elks before attending medical school at Queen’s University. During his time at Queen’s, he played bass in a band called Shrimpfarm and had the opportunity to coach the varsity football team.

His true passions include anime (he loves Naruto), cinema, and photography. He is excited to be in British Columbia, where he can fish and explore with his dog, Huey, who is his best pal, all while enjoying warmer weather with fewer mosquitoes. However, he will always consider himself a Winni boy at heart.

Angela Mak | Vancouver Site

Angela joins us from Calgary with a big smile and a bigger sense of adventure. Originally from the West Coast, Angela took a brief six-year detour through Ontario to complete her BSc at Queen’s University and a Master’s degree at McMaster University. She then came to her senses, returned to Alberta for medical school, and is now thrilled to be part of Vancouver’s Emergency Medicine team.

Angela brings with her a passion for emergency medicine, a knack for staying calm under pressure, and the organizational skills required to coordinate both resuscitations and elaborate dinner parties. Outside the hospital, she can be found convincing her friends that a 6 AM run is a good idea or trying valiantly to keep up with her husband on the bike or snowboard — a battle she is currently losing, but taking very seriously. Angela is excited to bring her collaborative spirit, love of fast-paced environments, Strava and real-life kudos to the Emergency Medicine department.

Caleb Lawlor | Interior Site

Caleb was raised on the sun-soaked shores of Prince George—widely regarded (by absolutely no one) as British Columbia’s premier beach getaway. Bursting with energy and an allergy to staying still, he spent his youth hiking, camping, and generally outpacing both mosquitoes and common sense in the northern wilderness. Naturally, this restless spirit led him to paramedicine—a career tailor-made for those who consider sitting still a form of mild torture.

Then, in a twist no one quite understands, Caleb managed to drive an ambulance all the way to Japan. He disappeared into the mountains, folklore, and izakayas for three enigmatic years. What exactly he was doing there remains a mystery, but he returned with a suspiciously serene vibe and a burning ambition to become a nurse.

Fast forward six years: after a four-year stint in Thunder Bay (or as locals fondly call it, “almost Grainopolis”), Caleb realized Ontario wasn’t quite his forever home. He boomeranged back to B.C., landing in Kelowna where he’s now pretending to be a grown-up with a stable postal code. Somewhere along the way, he picked up a few hobbies, possibly some wisdom, and—most impressively—his future wife. Though he tried to outrun her, he hit the wall at kilometer 32 as exhibited by the photo on the left.

Delaney Duchek | Vancouver Site

Delaney grew up on a cranberry farm in Ladner, BC, complete with its own brewery and more dogs than people. After switching from waders to skates, she moved to Lethbridge to play varsity hockey and complete a kinesiology degree. She then continued on to Calgary to pursue a master’s in exercise oncology. She stuck around Calgary for medical school when she realized she wasn’t quite ready to give up prairie sunsets or Stampede breakfasts. After 11 long (but character-building) years in Alberta, she’s thrilled to finally be back in BC—coming home to the coast, the mountains, and the dream of never shovelling snow again.

A self-proclaimed Spikeball underdog, Delaney is most at home cruising down (not up!!) hills on a road bike or being outnumbered by the many dogs on the family farm. She’s passionate about emergency medicine for its variety and team environment, paired with a growing interest in how palliative care principles can be meaningfully applied in acute settings. She hopes to combine her love of travel and cycling with a bikepacking adventure across Europe sometime soon—ideally somewhere with good cafés, better roads, and no headwinds.

Elaine Yi Ran Liu | Island Site

Growing up in Toronto, Elaine spent many gloomy winters indoors playing volleyball. After coming to terms with the fact that she would never become a professional volleyball player—mainly due to her 5’4” stature and loathing of plyometric training—she began seeking a more attainable career. She earned her BSc and MSc in Immunology at Western University before moving to Victoria, BC, to work in research at BC Cancer, thinking it would be a short adventure. Little did she know, she would fall in love with the West Coast and with staying out of trouble on a snowboard. 

Elaine went on to attend medical school at UBC’s Island Medical Program. Her realization that she enjoys (hopefully) healthy doses of stress and unpredictability led her to pursue a career in emergency medicine.

After getting her fill of excitement on shift, on the court, or on the mountain, Elaine transforms into a geriatric Olde English Bulldogge—wrapped in blankets and snoozing on the couch. Now that she works shifts, she finally has the perfect excuse to take mid-day naps. You can also find her in the garden admiring the bumblebees that pollinate her flowers and waging war against the aphids that destroy them. While she no longer conducts immunology experiments, she continues to experiment with recipes in her kitchen.

Liz Carr | Island Site

Whether leading her team through a 24-hour adventure race in the North Dakota badlands or winning a solo bike race at –40°C, Liz thrives in high-pressure, high-stakes environments that involve moderate physical suffering, making EM a natural fit. After spending her childhood on the prairies where she became accustomed to sleep deprivation during ultra-endurance events and long drives to the nearest climbing crag, Liz moved to Victoria to be closer to mountains and ocean and to earn her kinesiology degree. Once on the island, she fell in love with the smell of coastal rainforest (and her now-husband) and knew this would be home.

While volunteering her internal organs as an ultrasound model during undergrad, she was inspired by the legendary VicEM crew to pursue EM. After taking a year to build a flower farm from the ground up—literally, from pig manure—she headed to Kelowna for medical school. Her climbing and skiing skills advanced alongside her medical knowledge, and soon her dream of returning to the island for EM residency was realized.

A jack of all adventure sports and master of none, you can find Liz scaling rocks, running stealthily through the forest, or quietly attacking hill climbs on her road bike. When she’s not outside fighting gravity, Liz is cuddling her silver Labrador, Lily, and nerding out over coffee.

Liz is passionate about rural and remote emergency care, with interests in trauma, wilderness medicine, and medical education, and is excited to contribute to emergency care in rural BC.

Jennifer Engler | Island Site

Jennifer hails from Red Deer, Alberta, but took a few scenic detours before landing in medicine. After years working aboard Disney Cruise Line on the entertainment team and lifeboat commander (yes, both), she returned to school, eventually graduating from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. While in Dublin, she survived endless rainy walks along Grafton Street, directed a full-scale musical, and engaged in extra “study” time finding the perfect pint of Guinness.

Jennifer’s path has taken her from theatre school to simulations, and now to beautiful Vancouver Island at the Victoria site. She’s thrilled to be an international medical graduate matched to UBC, where she can once again see the ocean every day and wave at the cruise ships as they go by!

Jessie Chai | Vancouver Site

Jessie took the scenic route to Vancouver, making stops in Kingston and Calgary before settling on the West Coast—mostly for the ocean views, $8 lattes, and the sheer volume of large dogs in tiny rain jackets. A proud UBC-lifer, she did both undergrad and med school here and never left. Some say it’s loyalty. Others say she just can’t remember her CWL password to log out.

Emergency Medicine quickly stole Jessie’s heart (and destroyed her sleep schedule) with its controlled chaos and high-stakes problem-solving. A match made in trauma-bay heaven, if you will. 

Outside the hospital, Jessie keeps her cortisol in check with boxing sessions—because nothing says self-care like aggressively punching a heavy bag. She is also regularly humbled by seniors on the pickleball court. But most days she can be found in couch-rotting mode: horizontal, doom-scrolling, and somehow still dodging a DVT.

Jessie is absolutely stoked to join the UBC Emergency Medicine crew—ready to tackle residency one trauma, one “weak and dizzy,” and one Diet Coke at a time.

Jonah Hartel | Island Site

Jonah was born and raised in Prince George, where he also completed his undergrad at UNBC and medical school through the NMP—making his academic journey the educational version of never leaving his parents’ basement. He’s a firm believer in the mulligan, both on the golf course (where his scores flirt with triple digits) and in life.

A loyal New York Giants fan, Jonah clearly enjoys pain, disappointment, and character-building hobbies. To really drive that point home, he kicked off residency by getting a 4-month-old Malinois-German Shepherd puppy named Ivyprofen (Ivy, when she’s not stealing drywall). He and his girlfriend are adjusting well to life with Ivy—by which he means they’re tired and slightly afraid.

Jonah brings his Northern roots, dry wit, and taste for controlled chaos to residency. If you see him looking exhausted, it’s probably from another Giants loss—or because Ivy found the couch stuffing again.

Jonathan Bulger | Interior Site

Jon hails from the rainy wonderland of North Vancouver and has stubbornly refused to leave B.C. for all of his schooling—because why would you, really? Before medical school, he wrangled cats (and the occasional dog) as a veterinary assistant and wheeled humans around as a hospital porter at Lions Gate Hospital.

Jon passionately dislikes writing bios, but will begrudgingly admit he enjoys salted black licorice (yes, really), skiing fast enough to scare his mother, and yelling at NHL games from the couch. He’s endlessly fascinated by the chaos and complexity of emergency medicine and can’t wait to dive into all things acute at KGH.

Justine Lau | Vancouver Site

Despite growing up directly on UBC’s campus, Justine took a seven-year detour to Ontario, completing her undergrad at Western and medical school at McMaster. Although she had a blast out east, she accepted that the West Coast really is the best coast (and she missed her childhood dog). She’s now back in Vancouver, pretending she never owned a parka, and is thrilled to join UBC’s Emergency Medicine team!

When she’s not in the ED, you can find her catching sunsets at the beach, going on walks with her geriatric dog, or crocheting scarves—because that’s the only thing she’s mastered. She also spends too much time watching terrible TV, scrolling Google Flights, and following the many sports she grew up being mediocre at. With a sweet treat in hand and all her new friends, Justine can’t wait to tackle the chaos of the ED!

Matt Lavery | Interior Site

Born and raised in Cranbrook, BC, this outdoor enthusiast is thrilled to be staying in the interior for his Emergency Medicine residency. Matt’s path here included two years of varsity volleyball at the College of the Rockies, a microbiology degree, four years of bartending, and a financially crimpling number of international vacations. When he’s not in the ED, you’ll find him channeling his energy into downhill skiing, tackling mountain and road biking trails, hiking, fishing, travelling, or simply enjoying a sunny afternoon on the lake.

The newest addition to his active life is Benny, his golden retriever, who’s quickly becoming his favorite outdoor companion. Matt also has a passion for good food and probably spends too much of his free time cooking new dishes, making homemade breads/pastries, or eating his way through Kelowna’s food scene. He can’t wait to continue exploring Big White’s slopes, Silver Star’s bike trails, and the scenic Okanagan vineyards while embracing the fast-paced world of EM.

Mohit Sodhi | Fraser Site

Mohit was born in New Delhi, India and came to Canada shortly thereafter. He loved Vancouver so much that he ended up completing his undergraduate, master’s and medical degrees at UBC. He was inspired to pursue medicine, and emergency medicine in particular, by his younger sister with cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorder. 

In 2016, Mohit co-founded a local charity called YNOTFORTOTS that donates much-needed school equipment to underfunded elementary schools and pediatrics-focused organizations in the Lower Mainland. Mohit is also very passionate about research and has published a number of studies that have had a global impact. 

When he’s not working, Mohit enjoys golfing, cooking (especially steaks and white chocolate pistachio and rose tarts, not to be eaten simultaneously), e-scootering (the most “adrenaline-seeking” activity he will do), weight lifting, and spending time with his friends and family. 

Nick Sanchez | Frazer Site

Forged in the suburban paradise of Burnaby, BC, Nick didn’t venture far for school—attending UBC for both his undergraduate years and medical training. Some say he never applied elsewhere anyway, and UBC rewarded his loyalty with a spot at Fraser’s Emergency Medicine program. While medicine was the official reason he stuck around campus, Nick spent most of his time more concerned about the flight of a frisbee over the timing of his next exam. However, his years as a competitive Ultimate Frisbee player at UBC have given him the stamina to survive a string of night shifts and the steady hands needed to catch just about anything tossed his way in the trauma bay. 

When he’s not in the ED, you can find Nick over-exerting himself on the least relaxing vacations ever planned, reliving his glory days as an athlete at your local rec league, or just walking through the park trying to spot cute dogs. He is excited to bring his passion for Medical Education & Trauma to the team at RCH—and promises to do his best not to traumatize too many medical learners along the way.

Olivia Hunter | Frazer Site

Despite being born and raised in beautiful Vancouver, Olivia had to leave to realize she’d hit the geographic jackpot at birth, and she spent the next several years taking an elaborate detour back home. She went to university in New Hampshire, where she studied infectious disease and epidemiology and learned how cold -35C really is. Her thirst for adventure and hatred of routines took her to Dar es Salaam and Prague before she eventually landed in New York City, working in pharmaceutical strategy to help bring new drugs to market.

But it was back home in Vancouver, during medical school, that she found her home in the emergency department. Fast-paced, unpredictable, and full of human connection: it was love at first shift. She’s now thrilled to be sticking around for residency, learning from a phenomenal team while staying close to the mountains, ocean, and her ever-growing gear closet.

Outside the hospital, you’ll find Olivia chasing fresh powder at Whistler, dangling off the cliffs in Squamish, or diving for a volleyball at Spanish Banks (usually with questionable form, but full enthusiasm). She religiously follows the Michelin Guide and Dished to find new restaurants and speakeasies in the city, and is always looking for a recommendation or a sous chef for her kitchen endeavors.

Samara Reyes | Vancouver Site

Born and raised in North Delta and a UBC lifer (West Coast, best coast, obviously), Samara spent most of medical school convinced she was destined for a different specialty—until everything clicked when she stepped into her first EM shift and the emergency department has felt like home ever since! She’s especially passionate about social emergency medicine and is committed to making the ED a safer, more equitable space for all.

When she’s not on shift, you can find her yapping over sweet treats in every café Vancouver has to offer or getting a little too competitive during a game of Settlers of Catan (bonus points if bardcore is playing in the background). An amateur field hockey player and chronic hobby dabbler, she’ll try anything—as long as no one expects her to be good at it – so if you’re looking for someone to join you on an adventure, she’s almost always picking up what you’re putting down. While she may not be the most outdoorsy of the bunch, she’ll still tag along on your hike with snacks in tow, providing rambling narration of the journey.

Aside from Samara’s love for terrible reality TV dating shows and last-minute travel plans, she is also obsessed with dogs in a way that’s borderline alarming and will interrupt any conversation to point out every single one trotting by. Though she doesn’t have a dog (yet), she compensates by treating her brother’s pup like a minor celebrity—and showing unsolicited photos of him to anyone within arm’s reach.

Sarah Yang, Vancouver Site

Sarah took her love for travel a little too far. Born in China, she was raised in Etobicoke, Toronto and slowly moved further and further away from her family and friends. From undergrad at McMaster, to med school in Ottawa, she’s excited (her parents are less so) to be living on the west coast best coast! Naturally, she had to change her personality to conform to societal stereotypes, and is now a biker (extremely amateur, no hills please) and hiker (will not talk because she’s out of breath). In the next 5-years, she hopes to learn how to surf, snowboard and become famous on TikTok. Oh, and become a great emergency physician of course!

However, some things never change. She will always search for free food in the hospital, take a million pseudo-film photos of her friends with her Fujifilm, and be on the look-out for cheap flight deals. As an only child, she may try really hard to befriend you. If you ever have the privilege of meeting her, please ask about her passionate Beli food rank list of 800+ restaurants and cafés, and then ask her to grab a bite!

Sydney Terry | Interior Site

Originally from London, Ontario, Sydney fell in love with BC during her undergraduate years in Squamish—and despite a quick stop in London, UK for her master’s, she knew the mountains were home. Drawn to Kelowna for its strong sense of community and unbeatable geography, she’s thrilled to be training in a place that offers both top-tier emergency medicine and four distinct seasons of adventure.

As a former ballet dancer turned long-distance runner, she brings focus and endurance to everything from marathons to ED shifts. She was drawn to UBC EM for the incredible group of residents and staff, the endless educational opportunities, and the supportive, collegial vibe. Sydney is looking forward to soaking up all residency has to offer and is grateful to be continuing along a path of lifelong learning.

When she’s not in scrubs or lacing up her running shoes, you’ll likely find her on an adventure with her young kids, who keep her on her toes just as much as residency does (maybe more!).