Empathy in practice
As he begins his fourth year of medical school, Mohnish Rao’s compassion shines through.
By Cassie Dowse
Mohnish Rao once dreamed of a career in business. Inspired by his parents who moved from India to Canada and opened a gas station, Mohnish chose business electives in Grade nine and joined student activities focused on the corporate world.
Everything changed a year later when Mohnish’s mother had a significant health battle, and medical professionals saved her life. From that, Mohnish found a new purpose.
“My mom had an eight hour surgery for her tumour which resulted in unexpected complications,” Mohnish recalls. “Health-care workers helped her overcome those challenges and supported my dad and I during such a difficult time. I wanted to be a doctor so I could one day do the same for others.”
“My parents taught me the strong work ethic and warmth I want to model as a physician.”
Mohnish has brought that compassion for patients and families to his educational journey. After completing an honours bachelor of medical sciences in interdisciplinary medical sciences and physiology at Western, he is now a student in the doctor of medicine program at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.
Halfway through a two-year clerkship with rotations in different specialties at London hospitals, Mohnish has embraced the opportunity to put his skills into practice.
“The moment you understand a specialty, the rotation comes to an end, and you encounter something completely different,” he says. “However, through this continuous learning my confidence has grown.”
Learning from the best
Mohnish and his parents navigated many obstacles when they moved to Canada. Evenings and weekends were filled with homework and helping with the family business. Without extended family in the country, Mohnish and his parents maintained a tight connection and built a community of their own.
“I can only imagine how tough it was to come to a new country, start a business and learn new skills. My parents taught me the work ethic and warmth I want to model as a physician.”
Mohnish has also learned from mentors in his clinical experiences. “It’s illuminating to watch residents and physicians understand pathophysiology of diseases, as well as the needs of their patients. Their humble nature and ability to persevere is inspiring.”
Donor support, every step of the way
Mohnish recalls the moment he found out he was the recipient of a donor-funded award during a 26-hour call shift at the hospital.
“Medicine is about collaboration. Schulich’s donors cultivate that mindset by helping medical students in their time of need.”
“It was energizing! Medical school is expensive, and I still have loans from my undergraduate degree. Clerkship hours are demanding, so medical students often can’t work to pay for education and expenses. That’s why donors are so important! Their generosity allows me to focus on being a good physician for our community.”
The award was also a relief for Mohnish’s parents, who he counts as big supporters. “It meant so much to them,” he says.
Mohnish also received help with his medical application from Community of Support (COS), an initiative made possible through the Schulich Excellence Fund. COS provides coaching and other resources to learners from underrepresented communities. This valuable program aims to increase the racial diversity of health-care professionals in Canada, enhancing the overall health-care system for equity-deserving patient populations.
“COS was invaluable and helped me to get to where I am today,” says Mohnish.
Schulich Medicine donors create an environment for new generations of medical students to thrive with fewer barriers to education, he adds.
“Medicine is about collaboration, not competition. Schulich’s donors cultivate that mindset by helping medical students in their time of need. It speaks to the strength of the donor community, and highlights that I should pay the generosity forward when I’m a doctor.”
Mohnish recently chose family medicine and psychiatry as specialties of focus.
“Practicing medicine is about validating people’s experiences, often during the most difficult obstacles they’ll ever face. Patients deserve to feel heard and live their lives fully. I want to help them in their journey.”
The Schulich Excellence Fund
Unrestricted funds are crucial to advance the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry’s top priorities. They give the school flexibility to respond to urgent needs. Donors help to broaden clinical training opportunities, fuel life-changing research and provide students with state-of-the-art equipment to enhance their practice.
This story is featured in Western's 2024 Annual Impact publication.
