It’s Wednesday morning and second-year medical student Max Besarab is at an elementary school in Prince George reading aloud a book about a couple of bears who are visiting the doctor for the first time. One bear broke his paw and the kind doctor is doing a checkup. The bears aren’t afraid—they know what to expect.

“We’re widening children’s understanding of how healthcare works. It’s a rewarding and fun experience because children are very outgoing and give answers you don’t expect to hear,” says Max, co-chair of the Prince George chapter of the Reading Bear Society.

“This morning, I was showing the class a syringe and asked why they might receive a shot. One student said: To drain your blood! I responded that we do need people to donate blood, and we also need vaccinations. I didn’t expect this at 9 o’clock in the morning!”

After lunch, Max attends a four-hour clinical skills session with UBC’s Northern Medical Program. Originally from Ukraine, Max came to Canada in 2013 and set his sights on medical school while volunteering at a clinic in Alberta. This was his first exposure to the Canadian healthcare system, and he enjoyed the teamwork and interactions with patients.

UBC donors prioritize future doctors

The immigration process took time. Nine years later, Max had become a Canadian citizen and built financial stability. His admission to medical school took place during the pandemic and coincided with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as Max was helping his family come to Canada.

“It all happened at once, so having government loans and a bursary from UBC helped me not stress as much,” says Max. “I felt a bit more comfortable and not like I needed to use my line of credit right away.”

Growing up in Ukraine during challenging times, Max witnessed firsthand how deeply health and financial struggles can shape people’s lives. With limited family resources, he learned early how difficult it is to earn money and how important it is not to waste it.

“I’m grateful for the help we medical students receive,” says Max. “Healthcare has a lot of needs, so it’s about setting priorities. It’s nice to have support, financial or otherwise, and feel like there are people who want to support future doctors.”

Education as the foundation for life

When Max moved to Vancouver, he volunteered in the emergency department at Vancouver General Hospital and on an advisory committee for Vancouver Coastal Health, where he worked to improve the experiences of volunteers and patients and began to learn about Indigenous cultural safety. He also studied health sciences, automotive mechanics and mechanical engineering.

Max’s passion for problem-solving and hands-on work is guiding him toward a surgical residency after medical school. “When I shadowed specialists, I saw that surgery is not easy because of the mental burden. Every decision you make is critical, but I like the weight of it,” says Max. “I also like the interaction with patients and seeing people change right away with good outcomes.”

Deeply warm, good-natured and caring, Max is also level-headed and driven by a clear sense of purpose: making meaningful contributions to his community. Despite the heavy demands of medical school, Max continues to read to schoolchildren, both for enjoyment and because he believes education is the foundation for life.

“The more you know, the more conscious choices you can make. You have critical thinking and can decide for yourself rather than believing what people say,” he says. “That’s why I like to be involved in education in any capacity.”

“Education is part of medicine too because you never stop learning, and you will go farther in your career the more you teach and get involved in mentorship,” says Max. “If I’m 86 years old, I’m probably still going to be in a university teaching someone!”