Payin Baidoe-Ansah

Payin Baidoe-Ansah (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario)

Radiation Therapy, Class of 2019

Biography

I was born and raised in Kitchener-Waterloo. My parents still live there now, but my siblings and I are all in Toronto. I am an identical twin - having the name Payin means I was born first. I also have an older sister. I love to read and am interested in photography. In the near future, I hope to become fluent in French.

What and where did you study before joining MRS?

Before joining the MRS program, I went to the University of Western Ontario. There, I completed a Bachelors degree in Medical Sciences with an Honors Specialization in Biochemistry.

What attracted you to the MRS program?

Throughout high school and university, it was always my intention to work in Oncology. At first, the plan was to get my Masters and work in a research lab. Then I completed my fourth year research thesis and worked in a lab after graduating and that shifted my perspective. I found that I wanted to do something that would let me work with people, not test tubes. Radiation Therapy was perfect because it combined my interest in oncology with my desire to work with people.

How is MRS different from your previous university experience?

The classes during my undergraduate degreee were very large and each class had different people in it. It was impossible to know everyone in my class. With the MRS program, the class size is much smaller and every class over the two years of my didactic education had the same people. I got to know my classmates very well and they become a second family.

Once you decided to pursue this field, why did you choose to study with us?

There were a few reasons for wanting to pursue this field with The University of Toronto. One driving reason was that I wanted to be closer to family. Both of my sisters were in Toronto for school and work while I was working in London after my undergraduate degree.

What do you like best about the program?

I can't emphasize enough how much I love the feeling of community in this program. I like that I know the people in my program, both classmates and faculty. I know all my classmates and get to be on a first-name basis with faculty.

What is your favourite MRS memory/accomplishment so far?

One of my favourite memories came from a celebratory send-off that the faculty put on for the students before we started our clinical placements. Each student was given an award based on information the faculty had learned about us over the years. I heard some really funny stories about my classmates and got the award for "Most likely to cause an extinction, but with the BEST of intentions".

How is the workload? Do you have time to get involved in campus life, sports, clubs or to work part-time?

I found the workload to be manageable, but it was important to stay on top of schoolwork. There is certainly the opportunity to get a part-time job or be involved in different activities on campus or in the community. I worked as a peer tutor for 2 years which I found to be the right level of time commitment for me.

What are your plans for after graduation?

The first thing I will need to do is pass my certification exam and then look for a job. I am also completing a graduate certificate in Magnetic Resonance Imaging so I will be completing courses for that as well.

What advice do you have for prospective students who are considering the program/profession? 

My advice to future students is to stay organized and stay on top of coursework. It is not hard to fall behind. And if you need help, get it early - don't wait. You can access plenty of helpful resources from faculty office hours, to tutorial sessions, to peer tutoring services.

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For more information about the MRS Program visit www.medicalradiationsciences.ca