Anne Steacy Biomedical Health Stream

Partaking in Trinity One’s Biomedical Health Stream gave me an unparalleled learning opportunity in my first year at U of T. Our seminar courses provided a close-knit setting that fostered friendships and academic discussion. TRN125Y and TRN225Y taught me many intricacies about the scientific process, including conducting literature reviews, acquiring grant funding, and interpreting and articulating my experimental results. By the end of my time in Trinity One, I was intrigued to pursue graduate studies and a career in research.

Outside of class, I stay involved in student clubs to deepen my knowledge, connect with like-minded peers, and offer mentorship. I’m currently part of the Immunology Students Association, the Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Student Union, and Medical Sciences Students United. Between classes, I also enjoy spending time on campus exploring our vast library system and looking for interesting (primarily fiction) books. My goal is to explore every major U of T library before I graduate!

I look forward to offering guidance to the incoming Trinity One students and helping their transition into university students be seamless. Please feel free to reach out at any time! Wishing everyone the best in the upcoming year.

The Trinity One Program was undeniably the highlight of my first year. Participating in the Biomedical Health Stream helped me improve my scientific analysis, writing, public speaking, and confidence. I enjoyed discussing scientific issues with my peers, learning more about the research field, and writing my own scientific manuscript, which inspired me to pursue a career in research. Furthermore, Trinity One gave me the unique opportunity to present at my first research conference as a first-year student.

I love getting people excited about science and sharing my personal experiences to help others, inspiring me to lead outreach at the University of Toronto Student Research Initiative and become a Trinity College campus tour guide. You can usually find me playing board games with my friends in St. Hilda’s Melinda Seamen Hall at Trinity College or studying in the basement of Graham Library. Outside of school, I compete in 5-pin bowling, play video games, and love travelling and going on adventures, including climbing up Mt. Norquay in Banff and skydiving in southern Ontario!

I am excited to share my experience in the program and help you have a successful and enjoyable first year! I look forward to meeting everyone in Trinity One, and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did! Please reach out if you have any questions or need someone to talk to!

Christina Tao completed the Biomedical Health stream in 2022, however the lessons she learned shaped her next 3 years. This program taught her many hard skills such as critical reading, writing, and discussion which made her subsequent studies easier and gave her unique opportunities such as presenting at TCURC in her first year.

Beyond this the program imbued her with the passion to help others, as she experienced so much support in her first year from mentors to classmates. This inspired her to become a summer mentor and later a program coordinator.

Her proudest achievement was maintaining a healthy routine, consistently getting 6–7 hours of sleep throughout her university years. While this may seem trivial the ability to maintain and endure through tough moments in life is a marker of a success. 

Christina’s advice to incoming students is to take full advantage of the community. Every single one of your classmates becomes an expert in their field by year’s end so take advantage of this community. She encourages students to find their support group, collaborate on projects like creating citation guides, and get to know each other because this community truly is amazing!

When Adriane Prescott first came to University of Toronto she was concerned about finding her community in such a large school, Trinity One was a small close-knit space that really allowed her to find her people. 

Beyond the classroom, Adriane developed a passion for the environment and joined a club that allowed her to meet with the Provost to talk about changes that could be made at the University. This was a moment that she could never have imagined taking place, especially as she entered the university as a very shy first year. So many of these opportunities came her way when friends simply asked, “Hey, want to join this?”

Now in medical school, she’s most proud of her personal growth: coming in as a kid, and leaving as a confident adult. Her advice to incoming students? Don’t overthink it. Be yourself, say yes to opportunities, and go to lunch with your friends. Find your people, join clubs, build connections with your professors, and most of all, take it one step at a time.

Participating in the Biomedical Health stream of Trinity One was one of the most formative experiences of Rebecca Sy’s time at U of T. It gave her a solid academic foundation in critical reading, writing, and discussion—skills that shaped the way she approached the rest of her degree in neuroscience and beyond. More importantly, it grounded her in the “why” behind health care and research, encouraging her to think beyond the textbook and consider the human stories and ethical questions behind every topic. 

The small classes and supportive community helped her build the confidence to speak up, ask questions, and meaningfully engage with her professors—something that truly set the tone for the rest of her undergraduate experience. Trinity One taught her that curiosity and compassion are just as important as academic performance. She also met some of her closest friends through Trinity One—people she still keeps in touch with to this day. Starting off with that sense of connection and belonging made all the difference in her first year. 

Her advice to new students? Don’t be afraid to lean in, even if things feel unfamiliar or challenging at first. This program is a space where you’re encouraged to grow, not just as a student, but as a thinker and future leader. One thing she’s proud of from her time at U of T is co-founding student wellness initiatives that supported mental health and community-building. Looking back, it was in Trinity One where she first learned the value of listening, reflection, and showing up fully—not just for herself, but for others.

As the summer of 2024 comes into full bloom, the convocation season approaches to celebrate the University of Toronto’s newest graduates. Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with an outstanding member of the Class of 2024, who shared his experiences and insights on the journey that brought him to this milestone.

When asked to reflect upon his experience in his first year and in Trinity One, Linus Schweizer, a graduating student who completed the Biomedical Health stream, emphasized the value of the “tight-knit community”. Despite the challenges of online learning, he made life-long friends with peers and received guidance from supportive professors in the small-sized seminar classes. “Some of those people I met in that class are still the people I talk to today and hope to keep in contact with in the future,” he noted. This sense of community at Trinity One stood in stark contrast to the often impersonal and large first-year courses at UofT, providing a strong foundation in his undergraduate career, socially and academically. 

One of the most influential experiences for Linus was the seminar class taught by Dr. Ratcliffe. Linus described it as challenging but immensely rewarding. The course TRN225Y1: The Art of Health Discovery, offered a rare opportunity to learn scientific writing and the research process, skills not typically covered in first-year undergraduate courses. Linus learned to write grants, proposals and manuscripts, which laid the groundwork for upper-year life sciences courses and enhanced his ability to engage in scientific research.

Linus’s research journey began in a medicinal chemistry lab at the University of Manitoba during the COVID-19 lockdowns in his first year, working on synthesizing compounds to overcome antibiotic resistance. This sparked his interest in the biological applications of chemistry. Following his first year, Linus decided to complete a Laboratory Medicine Pathobiology Specialist and a Minor in Immunology. In the LMP department, Linus joined a lab focusing on host cell responses to bacterial infections. This experience, coupled with a project on neurodevelopmental disorders, solidified his passion for clinically relevant research. 

Initially torn between medicine and research, Linus found a path combining both basic sciences and clinical practice. After graduation and travelling with family and friends in the summer, he will pursue an MD/PhD at the University of British Columbia starting in September. Linus is excited about the opportunity to conduct research that directly addresses clinical needs, and ultimately aims to bring scientific discoveries to the bedside. 

As we concluded our conversation, Linus offered advice to incoming UofT students and those pursuing medicine and research. He emphasized the importance of appreciating the process and not only focusing on the end goal. “Learn to love the journey”, Linus encouraged students to be open to new experiences, meet new people, and nurture their passions. 

Thank you again to Linus for sharing your insights and story. As we celebrate the achievements of this year’s graduates, we would like to congratulate Linus and the Class of 2024 on your well-deserved success, and best wishes for your future endeavours!

Written by: Christina Tao, Trinity One Program Assistant, Biomedical Health ’22

This year we are lucky to congratulate the graduating class of 2023 after their first full year in-person! I had the pleasure of interviewing Nicholas Damiano and Rhidita Saha from the Anne Stacey Biomedical Health (BH) stream about their undergraduate experiences at UofT.

Nicholas and Rhidita discussed TRN125, Contemporary Issues in Health Science, and the benefits of exploring new career paths and small group discussions. This small class gave them a sense of community which contrasted the large classes of the introductory life sciences courses. Nicholas expressed that Trin One “taught me to put myself out there. It’s okay to be wrong and learn from your mistakes because you don’t know everything”. Entering a course where there is new terminology, a new environment, and new people can be intimidating, but it helps students learn to be better communicators and think critically about science. Rhidita shared that BH helped her to “always think about the perspectives involved and expand my scope of knowledge. This has helped me to understand how different perspectives shape different ideas in science literature”. This reasoning is used in her regular activities such as doing research, watching the news ,and studying for upper level classes.

COVID-19 began at the end of the alumni’s first year and  continued through to third year with back-and-forth online and in-person classes. Despite the isolation and social distancing, Rhidita and Nicholas reconnected with the relations they made in Trin One to find a new sense of community in a virtual environment.

Rhidita saw an opportunity to co-found a club, with another Trin One alumna, called Women Stronger Together (WST). This club, with some executive positions filled by other Trin One alumni, focused on creating a nonjudgmental, motivational online community that helped with fitness programming. For her work in the club, Rhidita received a student leadership award from UofT. Taking a different approach, Nicholas became a mentor in his upper years with Trin One to be a support system for incoming first year student and share his knowledge. Some of his fondest memories were formed at the peer support group meetings for various streams and the first year learning communities that he hosted. These experiences made him more confident and inspired him to always find a connection back to Trin One in his undergraduate career.

As a lasting message, the alumni wanted to highlight the importance of looking for new experiences such as Nicholas’s continued mentoring or Rhidita’s research abroad. They highly recommend going for new opportunities which are fruitful, exciting, and unique during your undergraduate studies because of the support available and the network of amazing people that you can meet.

Thank you again to Nicholas and Rhidita for your time and words of advice. We wish you the best in your future endeavours while you seek more opportunities to uplift those around you.

Written by: Maria Acosta, Trinity One Program Assistant, Medicine and Global Health ‘23