Grad profile: Shooting for the stars

This article is part of a series focusing on the grads of the Dalhousie Class of 2024. Spring Convocation runs from May 21 to 31 in Halifax and Truro. Read all our profiles here in one place as they are published, and for more information visit the Convocation website.

Like many other children, Joel Richard dreamed of being an astronaut one day. Few, however, continue that dream and apply to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Fewer still, rank in the top 6.25 per cent of applicants.

Joel applied to the CSA during their 2017 recruitment campaign. When that didn’t pan out, he researched what a successful candidate would look like. He quickly learned that Canada had a significant number of engineer-doctors in their corps. Having received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Brunswick in 2007, and an existing curiosity about medicine, Joel began studying for the MCAT. While he kept his dream to be an astronaut alive, it soon became evident that he was deeply intrigued by a career as a physician.

“I began reading medical articles, and self-studying for the MCAT,” he recalls. “Turns out, I loved the underlying science! The human body is an intricate and wonderfully complex machine.”

Fueled by this new love, he spent two years completing more formal MCAT training, while working full time as an engineer, never losing sight of his dream of space travel.

"When I wrote the test and it was a good result, I thought, “I'm going to go for it,” everything's lined up,” he recalls. “Let's see if I can make this work and get into med school.”

Fast forward more than four years, and Joel has a medical degree in hand. His background in engineering, where he spent 13 years, has translated into his work as a physician. As an engineer, he was passionate about leveraging applied science to solve real-world problems for his clients. With medicine, he is excited to be following a similar process, though in a very different context, by leveraging medical science to improve patient care.

“Engineering cultivated a systems mindset that translates well to medicine,” says Joel. “Working directly with diverse clients in my former career gave me comfort in working closely with people, even under stress.”

And there was certainly no lack of stress over the last few years. Joel is part of a graduating class that spent nearly the entire first year of medical school, and a significant portion of the second year online because of the COVID-19 pandemic, making an already stressful time, even more so.

With a passion for mental health, and desire to ease the burden on his classmates, Joel worked hard to organize online events like virtual coffee shops and study groups to foster camaraderie among his peers. It’s no surprise that he was elected by them to be the Student Affairs Wellness Liaison (SAWL), a person who could be approached to work with students who find Student Affairs intimidating.

While completing his medical studies, Joel was accepted in the Canadian Armed Forces Medical Officer Training Plan (MOTP), while also juggling perhaps his most challenging, yet fulfilling, role yet—fatherhood. He welcomed his second child in his second year of studies. And though his sleep was limited, and his time stretched, his family and children gave him the drive to persevere.

“Balance was incredibly illusive during medical school,” says Joel. “Being a mature learner, military officer, husband, and active dad is an alchemy of warring responsibilities. Throw a pandemic in the mix, and you have yourself a wild ride. When I was tired or felt overwhelmed, my kids gave me context and perspective to the struggle of med school.”

Joel will begin his residency in the Department of Family Medicine at Dalhousie in his hometown of Fredericton through the MOTP.

And although he’s traded his dream of becoming an astronaut in for the equally important role of father and husband, the possibility of making a significant impact in his hometown could very well propel him towards celestial heights.

“Matching close to home was my top priority to keep community ties strong for me, my wife, and our two children,” he says. “I’m over-the-moon at the prospect of delivering patient care in a community that I love.”