Victor Do, president of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students.
Photo: Laughing Dog Photography
Fourth-year medical student Victor Do describes himself as "a regular guy," a humble young man who has wrestled with insecurity, even while being drawn to advocacy and leadership roles.
The lifelong Edmontontian and only child of immigrant parents entered medical school in 2016. In his second year, he was elected vice-president external of the Medical Student Association (MSA). That ignited a passion for student governance, advocacy and administration, he says.
Do soon brought that passion to the national stage as one of two western regional directors for the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS). In that role, he developed the CFMS National Wellness Program, working to support the well-being of more than 8,000 students across the country.
Do went on to be elected CFMS director of student affairs and was named executive vice-president of the board in 2018. In 2019, he ran for president and won, becoming only the fourth CFMS president from the U of A, and the first of Canadian-Chinese heritage.
As CFMS president, Do sees an opportunity to help take medicine in a new direction and prepare students for a world where technology and change are advancing at an ever-increasing pace.
Meanwhile, he looks forward to his upcoming residency and a fulfilling future as a doctor. But he hasn't lost focus on supporting his classmates and future students.
"I want every student to recognize that they deserve to be here, and that they can achieve anything."