Monica Chuang
Doctor
Anesthesiology resident at the University of Toronto
Monica Chuang
Anesthesiology resident at the University of Toronto
Education
B.Sc. (Hons in Chemistry), Â鶹´«Ã½, 2002
MD, University of Toronto, 2006
Career Path
After graduating medical school, I decided to stay at the University of Toronto to pursue my residency in anesthesiology. Medical school provided me with a foundation of general medical knowledge, but residency is where I am learning to be an independent practitioner. I would say that the amount of patient responsibility as well as independent clinical decision-making has increased as I have become more senior in my training.
Chemistry in Action
My favorite aspects of chemistry are the problem-solving, and hands-on learning in the lab setting. I’ve always been someone who learns by seeing and then doing. The fondest memories I have of my time at Â鶹´«Ã½ involve afternoons spent in the labs with classmates, trying to figure out how to make certain reactions work. There was always such a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when you were able to successfully complete a lab on your own.
Last Words
I would highly recommend a degree in chemistry to anyone who is interested in furthering their skills in problem solving and analytical thinking. To this day, these are skills that I use on a daily basis. It never ceases to amaze me how chemistry creeps into almost every aspect of my work in anesthesia. Whether it is the pharmacology of a drug I am using in the operating room, or a patient’s electrolyte abnormalities, a chemistry background has helped greatly in my career as a physician.