About — Paging Victoria

Hi, I’m Victoria; It’s lovely to e-meet you

I’m a first-year medical student at the Tulane University School of Medicine. I am originally from Vancouver, BC, Canada and moved to NOLA for medical school (a long way away, I know).

I’m a child of immigrants, and the first in my family to pursue a career in medicine, which makes me incredibly grateful for the sacrifices my parents made to help me get here. Before medical school, I completed an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences in French immersion at the University of Ottawa and later a Master of Science in the Women+ and Children’s Health Sciences Program at the University of British Columbia. Along the way, I also took two gap years, one before my master’s and one after. Together, these years of education and work gave me time to grow, reflect, and truly understand what fuelled my passion to pursue medicine.

Outside of medicine, I love cooking and baking, staying active (pickleball, spin, and workout classes), watching hockey (Go Canucks Go!), and spending time with those I love (including and especially my cat).

To help me stay connected to myself and those who care about me, I created this blog as a digital diary. I plan to update it weekly to share real and raw glimpses into my life for those who want to follow along, and let it serve as a personal reminder of all the things I will do and accomplish through my medical school journey and beyond.

For any questions about me or my blog, please feel free to connect over email- paller.vic@gmail.com

Why did I create this blog? (in-depth response)

Like I mentioned above, this blog is really a way for me to stay connected with all my friends, family, mentors, and supporters who have rooted for me throughout this journey into medicine. It is also a space for me to reflect on all the experiences I will have in medical school, both in and outside of the classroom, and create something I can look back on years from now.

What can you expect from this blog? A look into what medical school looks like for me. My thoughts and feelings as I navigate studying, moving to a new city, balancing relationships with my boyfriend, friends, and family, and figuring out how to hold onto the parts of myself outside of medicine that make me who I am.

What this blog will not be: a place where I tell you “how to get into medical school.”

Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but one of my biggest pet peeves is when people get into medicine and suddenly act like they found the secret formula or exact set of stats that got them there. The truth is, I do not think anyone really knows why they were chosen out of so many amazing, qualified, and deserving applicants.

I do not think comparing yourself to someone who got in, or trying to follow their exact path, is helpful or worth your time. Everyone’s journey looks different, and luck, timing, opportunity, and circumstance play a much bigger role than people sometimes admit.

This blog is very much a digital diary for you to follow along if you want to hear regular updates about what it’s like for me. If that sounds like your vibe, I hope you stick around and subscribe to new blog drops.