When a pivot leads to a passion

Fifth-year medical physics student Jamie Tien is proof that a pivot can be the best choice if you’re unsure about your studies. After taking her first two semesters in biomedical sciences online, during the pandemic, it hit her in second year as courses became more specialized, that the content was not for her. So, she took two semesters off to consider her options. “I did a lot of soul searching and I realized that I should just change my program, because if I didn't like it now, I probably won't like it a year from now,” recalls Tien. 

The results revealed the benefits of being open to change. “I think it's funny how life takes you places where you never thought you would be. Coming out of high school, I thought I was going to be in bio-med. I thought I would never want to code; never want to do research; never want to go to graduate school. Now, in medical physics, I code, I do research, and I'm going to graduate school.”

Tien’s exceptional academic success has led to awards including the Physics Faculty Scholarship Award and the Fred N. Hainsworth Award. Tien says the recognition helped to boost her confidence even further. “It makes me feel like I made the right decision in changing programs. Winning these awards really validates how I feel and my academic performance,” she says. 

Tien has also excelled at her two internships, which have shown her the range of possibilities in her discipline. The first was a summer research project focused on optimizing X-ray techniques in Professor Jesse Tanguay’s X-ray Imaging Lab, funded by an Undergraduate Research Opportunities award. She continues to work in the lab and will also do her graduate studies there. 

The second co-op was at Ontario Power Generation’s nuclear plant in Pickering, where she monitored worker radiation doses, maintained radiation monitors and even helped radiation technicians to upgrade their certifications. “Working in industry was really enriching, and I think it also made me realize that there are so many career options in physics.” 

Tien says she’s also happy about the strong sense of community she found in the medical physics program. “It's a very small program, so you see your peers all the time. All the professors are close to the students, everyone knows each other, and everyone is willing to help out.” She also found support through the Women in Physics group, where she helps to host coffee chats and careers nights. “I love working with them, I think the experience is really enriching.”

Tien took two semesters off after her first year to consider her options.