Tyler Pierotti

Learning from the B.E.S.T.

Pre-med student Tyler Pierotti shadows surgeons in Croatia

Tyler Pierotti has dreamed of becoming a surgeon since he was a child. During his 2nd year at Bishop’s, he enjoyed an opportunity most pre-med students could only dream about: shadowing cardiac surgeons as they work in the operating room.

It all started when Dr. Michele Murray, the Dean of Arts & Science at Bishop’s, encouraged Tyler to apply to the B.E.S.T. Projects Fund. After doing some research, he found an opportunity in Croatia, where cardiovascular diseases affect a significant proportion of the population. What better way to learn how to be a cardiac surgeon than to stand alongside some of Europe’s most skilled experts for two weeks?

“It was so exciting,’’ Tyler says. ‘’The doctors explained to me what was wrong with their patients and how they would normally go about treating the problem. During their spare time, they taught me more about the health care system in Croatia, as well as different tips and techniques.’’“I wouldn’t have been able to get this kind of experience anywhere in Canada,’’ he continues. “Here, a student is not allowed to observe a surgery unless he is in his clinical rotations, typically in his 3rd or 4th year of medical school. So I got the opportunity to see things that I normally would only see three or four years from now,’’ he adds.

Tyler feels this opportunity could give him the edge he will need when the time comes to apply for medical school. He explains: “Getting into medical school is very difficult. The field is extremely competitive. Gaining exposure to methods and techniques in clinical settings sends a signal to the medical school that I know what I want to do.’’

In addition to his insightful medical experience, Tyler travelled to Europe for the first time. His hosts gave him Croatian lessons, and he even learned how to cook native dishes from a professional chef. He feels these immersive experiences have expanded his cultural awareness.

Tyler defines himself by his lifelong passion for medicine. But he feels he wouldn’t be able to fulfill his dream of becoming a surgeon without practical experience. “I think it’s extremely important to get a hands-on feel for your subject. No matter how much you can learn in a classroom, there are things you can never learn in a classroom.’’