Back to SearchAs a child living with chronic illness, Julianne Uzun says her early memories of the health care team who cared for her are one of the things that inspire her in her role today.
“What I remember are all the little things … the nurses bringing me colouring books, having a chance to sing with someone dressed as a clown. I remember those little moments - they meant a lot and really stuck with me.”
Now the Senior Education Program Associate for the McMaster Family Medicine Program, Osler campus, Julianne is responsible for coordinating the clinical placements and academics for the eight family medicine residents accepted into the program each year.
The idea that small actions can have big impact is a philosophy she’s carried forward to her work today, and one of the many reasons she was chosen as the 2024-25 Values Champion for Excellence.
Nominated for the award by Dr. Mateen Akhtar, who recently finished his residency in the program, he wrote: “Julianne is a cornerstone of Excellence, ensuring every resident feels supported and valued. She champions the importance of mental health alongside clinical responsibilities, creating a balanced and supportive environment. Her efforts guarantee a nurturing space where residents are equipped to excel, embodying the program's dedication to safety, quality, and comprehensive care.”
“I really try to instill in the residents that it’s okay to ‘not be okay’ and to be that shoulder they can lean on, that person they can turn to help solve an issue, even if it’s something as simple as, ‘it’s midnight, they’re exhausted and need help to find a call room’. I really enjoy getting to make that difference and have an impact.”
Julianne said, for her, living Osler’s Value of Excellence also means ensuring every resident who comes through program finds their passion and has a positive journey. She takes great pride in being flexible and finding ways to accommodate different learning needs, settings, and experiences.
“I always tell the residents, if you're looking for something, I’ll do everything I can to find it. If you want to observe brain surgery, I'll find something for you somewhere. For me, that's so fulfilling, just being able to advocate for and help residents find what they're passionate about.”
As the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion partner for the McMaster Family Medicine Program, Julianne said bringing that lens to the program and her work is a priority for her. She is passionate about ensuring inclusivity in medical education, whether it be through ensuring representation of diverse skin tones for procedural skills models or highlighting and raising a platform for marginalized voices. “Excellence to me means that medical education is inclusive of everyone.”
With just 16 residents participating in the two-year program at a time, Julianne says the residents get to know each other, and her, really well – and she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I adore getting to know the residents and getting to be a part of the future of health care.”
In addition to coordinating the residents’ busy community and clinical rotations and academic days, she said she tries to arrange at least one group social outing each month, everything from a fall hike and puppy yoga to a trip to a farm and mini putt, to help form that strong connection with each other and the community. “One thing that I think is really great about our program and speaks to its strength is that more than 50 per cent of our graduates end up staying and practicing in the Brampton area.”
As for how she felt about being nominated for the Excellence Value award, she said: “Overwhelmingly happy, very surprised … and specifically knowing that it came from a resident was really touching. There were a lot of tears shed. It was just super meaningful, and it continues to mean a lot.”
Subscribe
