Ask a Med Student

We are a group of five first-year medical students who are here to help with questions about Dalhousie University Medical School and the MMI weekend. Allison, Sophie, and Zainab attend the Halifax campus (DMNS), Jamey and Oliver attend the Cape Breton Campus (CMBC) and Abigail and Swati attend the Saint John campus (DMNB). We encourage you to reach out at any time through our email askadalmedstudent@gmail.com or our Facebook page (Ask A Med Student - Dalhousie, Class of 2030)

HALIFAX AAMS REPS

From left to right, Zainab, Sophie, and Allison 

Zainab Bello

Hi everyone!

My name is Zainab Bello, and I’m so excited to be one of your Ask a Med Student Representatives in Halifax, this year! I’m really looking forward to connecting with aspiring med students, sharing my experiences, and being a supportive resource as you navigate this exciting (and sometimes nerve racking) application process.

I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and have called Nova Scotia home for the past 10 years. I completed my BSc in Chemistry at Acadia in 2020 and earned my MSc in Organic Chemistry from Dalhousie in 2024. After finishing my undergrad, I worked as a Quality Control Chemist at Biovectra, and after completing my MSc, I joined Gilead Sciences as a Senior Research Associate, where I gained valuable experience in analytical research and the pharmaceutical industry. In my free time, you can find me watching movies or soccer, hiking Nova Scotia’s beautiful trails or spending time with friends.

During my own application process, I was fortunate to receive incredible support and guidance from past AAMS Reps. Their advice, encouragement, and openness in sharing their experiences made such a difference helping me approach the process with more confidence and less stress. Now, I’m excited to pay that forward and be someone you can reach out to for honest guidance, reassurance, and a friendly chat about the application process, interview prep or anything med-school-related. You can contact us on Facebook (Ask A Med Student - Dalhousie, Class of 2030) or by email (askadalmedstudent@gmail.com). 

Can’t wait to connect with you all and be part of your journey to medicine!

-Zainab 

Sophie Wark

Hi there, my name is Sophie, and I am one of the Halifax campus AAMS representatives! The medical school application process is overwhelming, to say the least, and I am so excited to have the opportunity to help guide applicants. 

I grew up in Bedford, NS before moving to Ottawa for my undergrad in biomedical science. After graduating, I knew I needed some time off to travel and enjoy life outside of school. I the completed a master’s in public health at Western before starting at Dal. When not busy with school, you’ll find me triathlon training or finding new mountain bike trails around Nova Scotia. 

Over the past application cycle(s), I have used the resources provided by the AAMS reps to help prepare for interviews and guide myself through this crazy process. I’m thrilled to be able to do the same for you and share all the tips and tricks I have learned. Applying to medical school can be scary, frustrating, and exciting all at the same time. We’re all here to help ease some of those emotions and be there to support you. Please feel free to reach out and I am so excited to meet you!   

- Sophie

Allison Pluta

Hi everyone!

My name is Allison Pluta (she/her), and I am so excited to be one of the Ask a Med Student Reps for the 2025-2026 academic year! I can’t wait to get to know you all as you navigate your journey to medical school.

To tell you a little bit about me, I was born and raised in Cape Breton and made the move to Halifax to begin my undergraduate degree in Kinesiology, here at Dalhousie. During this time, I worked and volunteered in a variety of roles, including as a student analyst for One Person One Record at Nova Scotia Health, and as a student athletic trainer with the Dalhousie Athletic Trainer Program. In my spare time, you’ll find me staying active by going to spin classes or playing intramurals with classmates.

Applying to medical school is no easy feat, and it’s so important to acknowledge the hard work it takes to get there. Having gone through the process myself just last year, I know it can feel overwhelming at times. Although it can be stressful, there is so much excitement and personal growth to look forward to along the way.

As an Ask a Med Student Rep, I am here to provide guidance and support throughout the entire application process. I’m so excited to hear from you all and more than happy to share my insights into applications, interviews, and life as a Dal med student!

Looking forward to meeting everyone soon!

-Allison

CAPE BRETON AAMS REPS

From left to right Jamey and Oliver

Jamey Toney-Gagne

Hi everyone! My name is Jamey Toney-Gagne and I am one of your Ask a Med Student (AAMS) reps for the CBMC campus. I grew up between Eskasoni First Nation and McKinnon’s Harbour, NS. I graduated from my BSc Honours Chemistry at Cape Breton University last May and crossed the street to start at CBMC this fall. During my undergraduate degree, I worked in analytical chemistry research, community-based research, STEM outreach, and centre coordination with the CBUSU. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my dogs, hiking, baking, and doing crafts. 

As a first generation university student who has navigated the med school application process without much guidance, I want to be your lighthouse in this whirlwind of a process. It is very normal and understandable to feel overwhelmed about the application process as a whole, or about one of the many steps involved. As an AAMS rep, I am here to be a resource for you through your journey of applying to medical school; answering questions, connecting you to other resources, and being an ear to listen when the stress piles up. Whether it is filling out forms, preparing for the MCAT and Casper, practicing for the MMIs, understanding pathways, or dealing with imposter syndrome, I want to help you. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! We can be reached through email at askadalmedstudent@gmail.com, or through our Facebook page (Ask A Med Student - Dalhousie, Class of 2030). We look forward to meeting you!

- Jamey 

Oliver Schnare

Hello everyone! My name is Oliver Schnare and I am honoured to be one of the Ask A Med Student (AAMS) representatives for the 2025-26 year. The application process for med school is extremely taxing both cognitively and emotionally, but I genuinely think that AAMS is one of the best resources available, so I am very excited to be a part of your process and hopefully relieve some of your mental burden heading into this year’s interview stage.

I grew up in New Glasgow, NS and came to Dal for my undergrad in 2018 with an intention to learn and get exposed to as much as I could, and then follow the field I was most passionate about. I ended up graduating with a BSc Honours in Neuroscience, minor in Biology, and a set goal of getting into medical school as soon as possible. I had to accept (like many of you have or will soon) that the journey to becoming a doctor rarely goes as planned.

I went through three interview cycles before getting accepted. In those three years I felt increasing pressure to get in and had frequent feelings of self-doubt. I felt like I had done a lot of the right things; I had competitive grades, work experience in various healthcare settings, I volunteered, I had published papers, and I even felt pretty good about my interview skills. However, I still often felt like I was not good enough, or just not what they were looking for. I imagine many of you can relate to this, and I am hoping that through AAMS I can be a part of your support network that is so crucial to have during this stressful process.

My first piece of advice is to involve yourself in all kinds of activities because the more experiences and passions you have, the better candidate you’ll be, and the fuller your life will be. I look forward to meeting you, and if you have any questions or want to talk about the application process reach out to us on Facebook or email askadalmedstudent@gmail.com.

Good luck!!!

Oliver

SAINT JOHN AAMS REPS

From left to right Abbie and Swati

Abbie Purchase 

Hi everyone!

My name is Abbie Purchase (she/her), and I’m one of your Ask A Med Student Reps for the DMNB campus. I grew up in a small rural town in Ontario and moved to Waasis, NB almost 11 years ago. This past May, I graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Science in Biology-Chemistry, where I did an Honours in developing biosensors for detecting breast cancer biomarkers. Outside of school, I love listening to live music and hanging out with my dog, Piper!

Applying to medical school can be such a challenging and sometimes isolating experience. Between late-night MCAT studying, last-minute application writing, and anxiety-inducing interviews, you’ve all worked extraordinarily hard to get here, and just applying to medical school is an incredible accomplishment.

I’ve always dreamed of becoming a doctor, but as a first-generation university student, the application process often felt like navigating in the dark. The Ask A Med Student reps provided me with so much guidance and support during that time, and it truly made a difference.

I’m so proud of each of you for taking this huge step toward medicine, and I hope I can offer you the same encouragement and advice that meant so much to me.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out! You can connect with us through our Facebook page (Ask A Med Student – Dalhousie, Class of 2030) or by email at askadalmedstudent@gmail.com.

I can’t wait to meet all of you!

— Abbie

Swati Jayachandran

Hi everyone! I’m Swati Jayachandran (she/her), and I’m so excited to be one of your AAMS reps this year. I grew up in Fredericton and completed my Bachelor of Science in Biology at UNB, and now I’m thrilled to be here at DMNB. Outside of school, you’ll probably find me at the pickleball courts or getting pad thai takeout (my personal favourite). 

I remember how overwhelmed I was during the admissions process last year. It's a long process full of tests, applications, more tests and tracking down everyone you’ve ever worked with for verifiers. It’s a lot to juggle, and it’s easy to doubt yourself along the way. 

For me, one of the biggest challenges was balancing all the application components while trying not to compare myself to others. What helped the most was reaching out to med students who had been through it. Their reassurance, perspective, and honest advice made the journey feel much more manageable, and that's what makes the AAMS program so valuable. 

My biggest piece of advice is to trust your journey and remember that there isn’t one “perfect” path to medicine. Every experience you’ve had, whether academic, professional, or personal, has shaped you into the person you are today, and that’s exactly what makes your application unique. 

Good luck to you, and I can’t wait to meet everyone!!

- Swati