Volunteer Profile – Sydney Overland
Tell Us About Yourself:
My name is Sydney, and I am a second-year medical student in the Northern Medical Program. I was born and raised in the Okanagan, where my joy for outdoor recreation and teaching started. While I was in high school, I was a tutor for French Immersion students. I moved to Burnaby in 2016 to complete my undergraduate degree, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. My passion for teaching continued to grow during my undergraduate degree, where I was a tutor and teaching assistant. Before beginning medical school, I lived in Squamish while working as a medical assistant and volunteering with an adaptive sports program. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my favorite past times consisting of skiing, mountain biking, hiking and trail running.
How did you become involved in the Reading Bear Society?
Shortly after moving to Prince George to begin medical school, one of the previous Prince George Reading Bear Society Co-Chairs posted about a volunteer opportunity which aimed to promote health literacy in school aged children. I have always been passionate about improving health literacy, and the opportunity to support the health, growth and education of children was something I wanted to be involved with. Within a few weeks of starting medical school, I volunteered at my first Dr. Bear visit and had so much fun. After my first semester of medical school was completed, I became one of the Prince George RBS Co-Chairs and I am now involved in facilitating Dr. Bear visits and engaging with the Prince George School District to schedule/coordinate Dr. Bear visits.
What is your current role with the RBS?
I am currently one of the co-chairs of the RBS Prince George Chapter, and regularly attend Dr. Bear visits as a volunteer.
What is your best memory of the RBS?
Every Dr. Bear visit has been a highlight! Seeing how much the students enjoy the interactive Dr. Bear sessions, including listening to their teddy bear’s hearts, the x-ray station, and giving their teddy a shot, is incredibly rewarding. The opportunity to talk about concerns or fears with seeing a doctor or other healthcare provider and helping develop strategies to address these fears or concerns is a valuable experience. Hearing how the students and their teddy bears feel better after taking “bear breaths” is another highlight!
