RVHS doctor seeks to encourage more minority students in medicine profession

BY GEORGE KAGAME

As a student at University of Toronto at the beginning of the 2000s Paul Galiwango was concerned that were very few visibly minority students pursuing a career in medicine; "in my own class of 200 or so students there were only three black students and for the whole University of Toronto faculty of medicine totaling 800 there were only 11."

Upon graduating and subsequent employment with Rouge Valley Hospital as a cardiologist, Dr. Galiwango is now busy encouraging students from low income backgrounds in Toronto to embark on careers in the field of medicine such that they can benefit from the many opportunities that exist in Canada for graduates in sciences. For such intentions Dr. Galiwango has been invited to speak to students in the Toronto area including Central Technical Institute and Mandela Elementary school. He says alot of kids in low income neighbourhoods don't have much attention and motivation to be in school; 'i try to show them that indeed there opportunities out there to look out for." Galiwango adds that together with U OF T's Black Medical Students Association they have set initiatives during the Black History month to reach out for more students in lower grades to join science disciplines. He says the association is one of several mentor groups that deals with issues that affect the black community.


It is about this time that Galiwango who was born and brought up in Windsor Ontario decided to dedicate his free time to helping visibly minority students by mentoring them into a career not only in medicine but other science disciplines. Today he is employed at Rough Valley Hospital and he is happy with his efforts in helping high school students. "i have been invited by my friends working as teachers to address their students interested in medicine. I think it helps them in mentoring because the students can identify and interact with. Personally i benefitted from having a mentor in my father who was a pediatrician, he had a huge impact in my choosing to be a cardiologist."

Galiwango says his efforts are slowly registering results because today different universities have started noticing the limited number of minority students pursuing science disciplines, "it is simple what these students need to get admitted into medical schools and what i have done is help them with strategies on how to approach interviews and answering crucial questions and concepts they need to be admitted in the schools, reference letters and other preparations." Galiwango further adds that some students are already benefiting from such simple approaches. And Galiwango knows that this works. Having graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor of science, doctor of medicine and adult cardiology he trained with Toronto General Hospital where his interaction with one of his patients had an influence in the patient advising her son. The son is now admitted at one of the medical schools in the country.

Sonia Peczeniuk, Vice President of medical affairs and clinical support at Rouge Valley Hospital says that Galiwango's work is part of RVHS's effort in 'leadership and high level service', she adds that the hospital is known for its history of leadership in cardiology and ethnically diverse patient population. RVHS is an excellent acute care community hospital and is known as one of the best in regard to cardiac computed tomography (CT0 and a strong interventional cardiology and electrophysiology, it has a team of 225 general practitioners, 325 specialists and 1000 nurses.