Humans of SBOC featuring Shruthi Karthikeyan
An aspiring scientist and physician on how to stay motivated after a loss and how to shift your mindset for success.
The most important advice that I received from one of my favourite educators: “there’s always room for everyone at the top”. Which really means you can always make space and opportunities for yourself.
Shruthi Karthikeyan, Former SBOC Contestant and Aspiring Physician
How did you first get involved with SBOC?
I first got involved in the 1st grade because of my parents. A few friends did SBOC and I enjoyed reading, so my parents thought it was a good idea. I remembered working hard, but failing miserably as a 6-year-old. I felt so horrible after that loss, that even the organizers of the competitions kindly comforted me after the event! I kind of swore off SBOC that day, and my parents decided that would be best for me as well. But, I still wanted to prove myself by going back out there, and somehow actually managed to. After my first win, I was so in love with it, and SBOC was just something I wanted to do again and again.
What important lessons have you learned from being with SBOC?
I learned how to deal with failure and got the understanding that failure isn’t a stop in your journey to success, but a redirection. I learned to re-evaluate what I was doing after a loss, started taking initiative in my learning, and stayed persistent and determined with my goals. SBOC was also an incredible opportunity for me to get exposed to other excellent and motivated students, and taught me to stop seeing them as competition but sources of inspiration.
What led you to volunteer as a Tamil Language Teaching Assistant?
Tamil is my mother tongue. For several years, I learned the history and culture behind the language in a Saturday school. I was later invited back by the program to teach the language to children, where I ended up learning just as much while teaching!
What was the toughest challenge teaching Tamil to children and what did that experience teach you?
It was tricky to cater to different demographics that I wasn’t part of. I learned patience and how to relate to different people when working one-on-one. I developed empathy for their struggles, needs, and goals for the program. I also learnt that encouragement is a huge part of learning, and that positive affirmations can go a long way in becoming a self-motivated learner.
What is the best way to become fluent in English?
Language immersion. Go abroad and integrate with the culture. Or even watch TV, read books, and listen to music in the language you want to learn. Pick up terms and phrases used in everyday life. Real-life learning is very different from in-class learning and sometimes is actually more useful.
Why did you choose to study at University of Ottawa?
I’ve always had a passion for global health, medicine, and nature. I also have a lot of experience working at various hospitals and with biomedical research. So I applied and was accepted to the Translational and Molecular Medicine (TMM) program at uOttawa. It’s a unique research-based undergraduate program only offered at uOttawa that accepts 40 students across Canada per year. It teaches molecular biology in a hands-on way that is applicable and meant to advance medicine, helping students gain a mindset to use research and classroom knowledge to develop solutions to current issues in healthcare.
Tell me about the work you have done to promote healthcare rights around the world.
I’ve been working with Partners in Health (PIH) by starting and leading my university chapter. PIH is an organization that partners up with third-world or underprivileged countries to assess and potentially implement improvements to their health policies. We aim to help them in any way that we can, but with an aim to use a community-over-charity approach by partnering with their local governments.
For example, PIH recently partnered with Rwanda to build the University of Global Health Equity that helps educate people in that particular country, to help them create a more self-sufficient and sustainable future. This was a super awesome initiative that brought about such a positive impact that it really inspires me to hopefully continue to contribute to initiatives like this in the future!
Also, I love learning about other cultures by watching documentaries and reading about them. It really opens your eyes to the positives and negatives of life abroad versus life at home. In several ways, we really do live a life of privilege here. We’re so fortunate to have a government that gives us what we need.
As a woman of colour pursuing an education and a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), what would you say to others like you who are interested in STEM?
Don’t be scared, just go for it! There are always hindrances to pursuing any career, but there is a lot of support available too! The most important advice that I received from one of my favourite educators: “there’s always room for everyone at the top”. Which really means you can always make space and opportunities for yourself. Opportunities are endless. By building each other up and networking, what we can achieve has no limits!
I noticed that you are a Co-President at ASCENT (A Student Challenge in Engineering and Technology) at University of Ottawa. Can you tell us more about this initiative and why it is important for inspiring high school students to pursue post-secondary education and careers in STEM?
It is a two-day conference held annually that features workshops and runs integrative activities for high school students, that exposes them to different aspects of STEM technology. While it’s super important for anyone to pursue what they are passionate in, STEM has so much potential because technology and science are advancing more quickly than ever. Some people feel intimidated or don’t even know these possibilities exist. The more people that are encouraged and interested in STEM, the more progress we can make as a whole. My real hope is to share my love for research and science with other students and to inspire and integrate them in a fun and positive way, showing them what’s out there and what they can pursue!
As an aspiring physician and scientist, what impact do you hope to make?
It has always been a goal of mine to pursue a future in medicine. Not only to treat the illness but the patient themself. I want to be someone who always strives to make progress in the field and hopefully attempt to answer unanswered questions. I want to advance myself and the field of medicine in any magnitude I can to make it more inclusive and beneficial to everyone. My goal is to hopefully become a physician who is warm, empathetic, and able to connect with and create a positive impact on all those that I have the opportunity to work with.
What is your advice for the children of SBOC?
If you want something, just go for it and don’t let anything stop you. I mean in the process, take care of yourself and don’t burn out, but put in your best effort. And if things don’t go how you plan, a loss is never the end of the road and it’s only a redirection. Winning and success are two totally different things, and by just putting in the initiative to compete, you’re already successful!
This interview is part of the Humans of SBOC series by Erika Carreon, where her passion for storytelling shines through. As a language lover, Erika dedicates her time to learning Spanish.
