COMP:
Canadian Ophthalmology
Mentorship Program
A partnership between the Council of Canadian Ophthalmology Residents (CCOR) and the Canadian Ophthalmology Student Interest Group (COSIG)
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COMP connects Canadian medical students (mentees) and ophthalmology residents (mentors) to help build a nation-wide network of mentors and mentees in the landscape of Canadian ophthalmology training. Faculty guidance is provided by Dr. Radha Kohly, a medical retina specialist and Vice Chair of Faculty Development, Diversity and Equity, and Global Health in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto.
COMP will connect 3-4 Canadian medical students (mentees) per ophthalmology resident (mentors) for the purposes of networking and career exploration. Participants will also be invited to monthly mentorship webinars from September 2021 to May 2022, featuring discussions with ophthalmologists and resident physicians on various dimensions of career and personal development in ophthalmology.
Sign ups for the inaugural 2021 COMP Connect are now closed.
COMP Speaker Series
Dr. Radha Kohly MD, PhD, FRCSC
September 22, 2021
Vice-Chair for the Faculty Development, Diversity and Equity, and Global Health
Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto
LIFE AS A MEDICAL RETINA SPECIALIST
A DISCUSSION ON INCLUSION, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND ACCESS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY
Dr. Femida Kherani MD, FRCSC
Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Calgary
Clinical Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia
Founder of Women In Ophthalmology Canada Chapter
Dr. Fiona Costello MD, FRCPC
Professor of Neurology, University of Calgary
Clinician Scientist, Hotchkiss Brain Institute
October 6, 2021
LIFE OF AN OCULOPLASTIC SURGEON &
A NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGIST
A DISCUSSION ON TRAINING AND A CAREER IN OPHTHALMOLOGY
Dr. Agnes Wong MD, PhD, FRCSC
Professor of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Psychology, University of Toronto
Facilitator in the Mindfulness & Compassion Training for Health & End-of-Life Care Professionals Program (Sarana Institute, Toronto)
LIFE OF AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST-CHAPLAIN
December 15, 2021
DEVELOPING A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE TO THRIVE IN MEDICAL SCHOOL AND RESIDENCY
Dr. Claire Sheldon
MD, PhD, FRCSC
University of British Columbia
Dr. Helen Chung
MD, FRCSC
University of Calgary
Dr. Nupura Bakshi
MD, FRCSC
University of Toronto
A DISCUSSION ON ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP IN OPHTHALMOLOGY
LIFE OF A NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGIST, COMPREHENSIVE OPHTHALMOLOGIST, AND MEDICAL RETINA-UVEITIS SPECIALIST
January 11, 2022
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM EST
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I contact my mentor?
Once you have been paired with a mentor, we will send an introductory email to connect you and your mentor. We request that you cc our email on your first correspondence as confirmation of your participation in the COMP.
2. I’m not sure what questions to ask my mentor, or I feel that I have too many questions and don’t know where to begin.
We understand that this can be overwhelming, but remember, your mentor was once exactly where you are now! They are here to support you and are excited to offer their wisdom to the best of their abilities. Try to approach your discussion as a conversation with a few pertinent topics in mind—what are you curious to learn about from your mentor?
3. Can I arrange in-person meetings with my mentor? How about shadowing or elective experiences? Or even research opportunities?
With the outset of COVID-19-related changes, we mandate that all mentors and mentees abide by current public health, AFMC, and institutional guidelines regarding all clinical and non-clinical (i.e. research) experiences.
Resources
Mentees
Ten tips for getting the most out of your mentor
Tips for mentees from the American Psychological Association
Mentors
4. How often can I contact my mentor?
At your introductory meeting, we recommend that you and your mentor establish mutual expectations regarding communication frequency. COMP enables access to a trusted mentor for medical students through the gracious volunteerism of ophthalmology residents. As such, we remind mentees of maintaining respect and professionalism in communicating with their mentors.
5.What do I do if I cannot get in touch with my mentor?
We recommend that you reach out to COSIG if you are unable to get a hold of your mentor after a few attempts. We are happy to contact your mentor on your behalf if needed. However, we also encourage mentees to be patient and mindful of their mentors’ busy schedules as resident physicians.
6. What do I do if I’m unable to commit to the mentoring relationship?
We strongly recommend that you reach out to COSIG using the contact information provided at the end of this document at your earliest convenience. This will allow us to pair another medical student with your mentor if needed.
Mentorship Committee
Anne Xuan-Lan Nguyen
Medical Student, Class of 2023
McGill University
COSIG-GECIO Executive Director
Mentorship Team Co-Lead
Stuti Misty Tanya
Medical Student, Class of 2022
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Mentorship Team Co-Lead
Daiana Roxana-Pur
Medical Student, Class of 2024
University of Western Ontario
Mentorship Team Co-Lead
Dr. Michael Nguyen
MD
PGY4 Ophthalmology Resident
University of Toronto
COSIG-GECIO Resident Advisor
Dr. Radha Kohly
MD PhD FRCSC
Vice Chair for the Faculty Development, Diversity and Equity and Global Health to the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto
Dr. Femida Kherani
MD FRCSC
Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary and the University of British Columbia
Women in Ophthalmology Canada Chapter - Founder
Dr. Fiona Costello
MD FRCPC
Professor, Departments of Clinical Neurosciences and Surgery
Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
Director, The Roy and Joan Allen Chair in Vision and Visual Sciences
Clinician-Scientist, Hotchkiss Brain Institute