“What do you want to be when you grow up?” As a young girl, Katharine O’FLAHERTY’23 didn’t know exactly, but she was 100 per cent certain about one thing: she did not want a career in the medical field. Blood, needles and all the things that make medical professions messy just weren’t for her. But what was once her biggest fear turned into a passion that inspired her to want to become a doctor—and earned her the prestigious McEuen Scholarship to the University of St Andrews in Scotland. The award is Canada’s largest single undergraduate scholarship given annually.
At Branksome, when she wasn’t in her favourite higher-level chemistry and biology classes, Katharine explored her interests by joining the Senior Dance Company and participating in Spirit Week, just two of many highlights that stood out for her. Crucially, in Grade 10 she joined the Sunny View Club, where she and her peers would travel to Sunny View Public School each week to play and bond with students receiving support for their complex physical and developmental disabilities. This experience encouraged her to further explore her love of working with children and inspired her to pursue a career in pediatric medicine, messy or not.
“I think I’ve always gravitated toward working with kids,” explains Katharine. “I have been a camp counsellor and assisted at my dance studio with kinder dance classes. I love how children are always so excited to try new things. And then I think about pediatric medicine. I can only imagine how challenging it is to spend your formative years growing up in a hospital and missing out on a lot of the fun that comes with childhood. Having the opportunity to guide kids on the road to recovery in what is probably one of the most challenging times in their lives is something that I really want to have the opportunity to do.”
Last summer, before heading to university, Katharine spent her time volunteering in the emergency department at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, a singular opportunity for an aspiring doctor. This experience further cemented her desire to explore pediatric medicine, where she will not only get to pursue her love for science but also work with the children she adores.
After falling in love with the St Andrews campus in Fife, Scotland, on a tour earlier this year, Katharine applied for the McEuen Scholarship in the hopes that she would receive assistance toward her medical studies. One day in the spring, she got the call that would change her life. “It was pretty crazy,” says Katharine. “I interviewed for the scholarship at noon that day and a phone call came in around 1 p.m. letting me know that I received it. I cried when they told me the news. It’s such an incredible opportunity.”
And this opportunity is like no other—not only was she the only student selected from a large pool of hopeful applicants, but for Canadian students hoping to study medicine at St Andrews, this is their only chance to receive a full scholarship.
Having grown up inspired by her mother, a medical oncologist, Katharine plans to go into pediatric oncology or hematology, but she is excited and open to seeing what paths open up during her studies.
Featured image by Caley Taylor.
