VP External - Candidates​

Michael Darcy

BIO
 
I'm a non-traditional student attending the Hamilton campus. I completed a BA at Memorial University, a JD at Dalhousie University, and an LLM in International Tax Law (which is exactly as boring as it sounds) at NYU. Before coming to med school, I practised law at a civil litigation firm in Toronto. I'm passionate about mental health, addictions, and wellness--along with video games, drag race, and Broad City. Outside the pandemic I play dodgeball and ski badly.
 
PLATFORM
 
If elected VP External, I hope to use the skills I gained as a lawyer to be a voice for the students of Mac Med. I am comfortable reviewing policies, taking positions, and advocating for change on behalf of others. I would love to be able to use those skills to advance the interests of Mac students, for our class and future classes. Among other things, I hope to lobby for greater access to federal and provincial assistance for med students, especially for those from low income and under-represented demographics. The pandemic has shown the increasingly important role of doctors in our society. At the same time, the cost of med school has risen dramatically--prohibiting some from applying at all, while saddling others with years of debt after graduation. Given the political climate, I believe this is the right time to change that.

Pranjan Gandhi

BIO
 
Hello my name is Pranjan Gandhi, and I want to be your VP External. Why would I be a good fit? Over the years, I have been fortunate to have a wide range of experiences. From playing competitive hockey and volleyball, to running an eCommerce business, to evolutionary biology research, I have realized that I love working with others, being creative, and challenging the status quo.
 
However, my biggest passion lies in advocacy and policy. I have experience working in university affairs with academic administrators on institutional governance and academic policy priorities for students. I have also worked closely with municipal governments and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance to create programs that combat gender-based violence in the community.
 
To this end, the VP External position fits perfectly with my advocacy experience, and I look forward to enacting positive change within the McMaster and national medical community.
 
PLATFORM
 

1. Student Wellness: Medical students, like everyone else, require relief from academic work for medical or personal situations. For students with a short-term or unexpected absence, I would like to advocate for “Flex Days”. Flex Days would be a set number of personal days per preclerkship year that can be utilized to miss an otherwise mandatory teaching session.
2. Indigenous Health Equity: The VP External represents McMaster to bodies such as the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS). The CFMS has recently been criticized for structural racism within the organization. I believe McMaster should withhold its fees to the CFMS and work with them to decolonize the organization more expediently.
3. Medical Curriculum: Advocate for a national amendment across Canada to pass guidance requiring course material in all medical schools to include ethnically diverse examples of case presentations. Medical teaching should be representative of the society we live in.