Lisa D'Souza

Lisa as a medical student

Pronouns: She/Her

Lisa as a child

• What kind of identities do you inhabit?

  I grew up as a first-generation Canadian and a current medical student at St. George's University in the Caribbean. I am pursuing PM&R as a Non-US International Medical Graduate.

• The path to medicine is not easy. Can you tell us why you decided to pursue it?

  When I applied to University, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I stumbled upon the field of Kinesiology and obtained my degree at McMaster University. However, I got a concussion while playing lacrosse. I struggled to reintegrate into school and sports. I initially pursued medicine to provide student-athletes with the support they needed for optimal concussion management

• Can you describe a challenging moment in medicine that made you rethink your career path?

  When the COVID-19 pandemic started, I was in England at the start of my medical school journey. I moved back home to Canada and continued school online. I struggled with learning from a distance and feeling connected to any of the content. I reached out to my peers and found that we were all really struggling with similar things. I learned to talk about the things I was struggling with and created a sense of community for myself. The support and encouragement I received from my peers has helped me make it to where I am today, and I hope to be that support for others around me.

• How do you see a career in PM&R as advancing equity? Or alternatively - why are you interested in this organization? Why equity and PM&R?

  As an IMG, I was always told that applying to PM&R would be a long shot. My school lacked a home program, so I sought out mentorships. However, there were very few non-US IMGs in physiatry, and I struggled to find guidance. I want to help future IMG medical students feel connected and highlight everything we can bring to the field. Representation in Rehab has given me a platform to connect with other individuals who have faced similar barriers in their path.

• Can you tell us a little bit of your aspirations - either for your career or for the field of medicine (if you’re a medical student?)

  As a future physiatrist, I plan to integrate community health advocacy and health policy into my career. Within PM&R, it is so rewarding to understand our patients' passions, priorities, and challenges, as it allows us to build personalized care plans. I hope this insight will not only guide my individual patient care but also direct my advocacy efforts on a communal level and, hopefully, at a state or national level through health policy advocacy or organized medicine.

• Find me on social media

  Twitter: @dsouzalk

  Threads: @lisaadsouzaa

Last updated 8/2023