OnTrac Education

My experience as a mentor in the OnTrac program over the last 18 months has undoubtedly been a highlight of my medical studies. I was first drawn to the purpose of this program as it piqued my interest in paediatrics and psychiatry, with the desire to gain exposure in these fields and improve my skills in teaching and mentoring that this program provides. I chose to complete my service learning with this program because the opportunity to engage with the community called out to me and I wanted to apply my abilities in a practical way to the real world. It has truly been a valuable and rewarding experience to mentor adolescents with ADHD under the guidance of the program supervisor, Grace da Camara, and the camaraderie of fellow mentors. I have developed over time strong professional relationships with my mentees as I gained a deeper empathy for them and confidence in our interactions. Through this, I have a greater appreciation of the breadth a psychiatric condition like ADHD and comorbid mood disorders can have on a child’s life. It is evident that the symptoms of the condition in addition to prolific myths and common misunderstandings in the community have destructive effects on the developing child’s interpersonal relationships, academic achievements, social integration, and self-esteem. 

The connection and trust established between us created a conducive space for learning which had a positive impact in their engagement in the program. Furthermore, the responsibilities given to me to deliver core modules of the program certainly improved my teaching and communication skills and emphasised the importance of teamwork and continual feedback when working in an organisation. 

It has truly been a privilege to be a part of a supportive team and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to an impactful program such as this that empowers, motivates, and advocates for each individual regardless of their diagnosis. The short time that I have been with the OnTrac program has seen an exponential growth in personal development especially in leadership and communication skills and equipped me with the capabilities to excel as a clinician to care for my patients and the wider community in the future. 

It has been a rewarding and enlightening experience to work with OnTrac for the last 2 years. As a final year medical student who has been involved with OnTrac as a part of my service-learning project, I found this experience to be rich in new learning opportunities and areas to grow as the program developed, both as a medical professional and as an individual. 

Working in tandem with my supervisor Grace da Camara and fellow mentors, this program shined a light onto ADHD and the multiple facets of mental health. From working with adolescents and delivering CBT sessions both individually and as a group, I gained invaluable insights into what it is like growing up with ADHD, and the challenges that are faced at home, in schools, and in the outer community. I had the opportunity to work with children to develop core skills in life, such as learning how to problem-solve, deal with bullying, and reach out to adults when facing hardships. Facilitating group discussions and improving on understanding of psychoeducation, adaptive thinking, and critical skills helped like-minded participants meet and reflect, grow, and develop as we progressed through the 7 weekly sessions. 

During OnTrac, guided by our wonderful and passionate supervisor Grace, I found that the children and families responded positively to the sessions, gaining new insight in how to overcome obstacles faced in life and who/or when to reach out for answers to questions as they develop. The difference upon reflection from the first and last session of the program by both children and parents was always humbling to witness and delivered constructive feedback to continually develop the sessions. As well, as a future medical professional, learning about ADHD from a first-hand perspective is critical to understanding good patient-centred care as we become doctors. 

As we move on from OnTrac, I hope to take these lessons and reflections into my future practice. I am so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had through OnTrac. The program has been a highlight of my medical degree, and I hope that it continues to teach participants (and mentors) more about ADHD and what we can do as a community to help those with it. It would be safe to say that as a mentor, I learned just as much (if not more) from the program, and wish it continued success as it flourishes under the lead of Grace and the new mentors!