By Anna Mouzenian

Graphic design by Yu-Wen Jan

Dr. Pamela Plant’s professional journey has been fueled by a natural curiosity, a desire to find creative solutions, and a passion for helping others. These motivations have shaped her career and now guide her work as the Director of Graduate Professional Development (GPD) at the Institute of Medical Science (IMS). Reflecting on her path, Dr. Plant acknowledges that it wasn’t always straightforward, but each stage brought insights and honed her “tools” for growth, which she now shares with her students.

Her journey at the University of Toronto (U of T) began during her undergraduate studies in Human Biology, where she first harnessed her curiosity through an undergraduate research project which sparked her love for asking questions and delving into scientific inquiry. Dr. Plant then completed her Master’s in Cell and Systems Biology, which she describes as an ideal way to “dip her toes in the water” of research rather than directly pursuing a PhD. This experience allowed her to understand the demands and rigours of research, preparing her for the possibility of a future in academia. Dr. Plant ultimately decided to pursue a PhD in Biochemistry at U of T, having a growing interest in translational research and a wanting to focus on projects with a human-centred impact. Dr. Plant emphasized that her “learning” in graduate school was not limited to technical expertise; she gained invaluable skills like problem-solving, analytical thinking, and communication, which she hopes her students recognize for themselves, as transferable beyond academia.

Outside of the lab, Dr. Plant’s university years were shaped by her commitment to competitive sports. She was a varsity rower, and triathlete, often training up to six hours a day. This demanding training schedule taught her invaluable life lessons in resilience, goal-setting, and self-management—skills that would later prove beneficial in balancing her academic and professional pursuits. Dr. Plant notes that dedicating oneself to an interest outside academics, (be it competitive sports, music, or community service, for example), fosters valuable tools for self-discovery and builds transferable skills applicable to any career. “Plus” she says, “it’s just fun.”

After over a decade at U of T, Dr. Plant ventured to the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, for her postdoctoral training. This move pushed her far out of her comfort zone, both culturally and professionally, as she navigated a new language and research environment. Conducting research abroad taught her problem-solving in everyday life and underscored the importance of adaptation—a valuable parallel to the independence required in PhD research. Dr. Plant encourages students to consider opportunities abroad, noting that these experiences allow them to develop unique perspectives, skills, and expertise they can bring back to their home institutions/jobs.

Upon returning, Dr. Plant completed another postdoc at the Lunenfeld Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, where she began contemplating her next steps in academia. Unsure of her exact direction, after a few years, she welcomed an opportunity at the new Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Science (KRCBS) at St. Michael’s Hospital as a Genomics Specialist and Adjunct Scientist, where she was a core resource supporting labs and their graduate students with their research projects. The KRCBS was still being established at the time and this allowed Dr. Plant the flexibility to shape her role and create new programs (such as courses and workshops on various “wet bench” techniques and methodologies) for the students. This illustrated how younger institutions/companies can often be environments where there is greater freedom in growing one’s role for those who establish their work ethos, intuit the organization’s needs, and pitch new ideas. As she says, “to create your own job.”

Dr. Plant’s enthusiasm for teaching continued to grow during this time, and eventually led to an opportunity to teach the GPD courses at IMS, established by Dr. Reinhart Reithmeier, while he was on sabbatical. With guidance from Dr. Reithmeier and mentors like Dr. Nana Lee, she ran these courses for 3 years until the IMS prioritised professional development for their graduate students and created a new role for Director of the program. Though it was a significant shift from bench science/research to developing professional development programming, Dr. Plant felt the position aligned well with her values of helping students and “creating new things.” It provided an opportunity for her to enable students to integrate practices that were instrumental during her time as a graduate student, such as conducting informational interviews, understanding one’s own values and motivations, and the importance of being involved in meaningful engagements outside of the lab. Dr. Plant’s teaching philosophy centres on hands-on, practical, interactive learning, empowering students for academic success and building the agency/skills needed for lifelong professional success.

In her role at IMS, Dr. Plant’s focus has been to establish a fulsome program that encourages students to discover the many opportunities outside of academia and medicine, to see “what career fits them.” She encourages students to understand that graduate school is not just a pathway for careers in academia or medicine, that there are “hundreds of fulfilling, challenging, and lucrative careers” for graduate students in biomedical sciences. In addition to the foundational GPD course, inspired by Dr. Lee and Dr. Reithmeier’s book, Success in Graduate School and Beyond, she is creating a series of career-based courses, to help students gain the necessary skills to leverage into public and private sector jobs. In doing so, she hopes to help students transition into fulfilling vocations in diverse fields, not just academia and medicine. If you’re interested in learning more about GPD and want to enroll in their programs, you can visit their website (https://ims.utoronto.ca/graduate-professional-development) for resources and course offerings. 

Beyond academics, Dr. Plant believes deeply in the importance of community engagement. Her curiosity and passion for science extend to outreach, where she has partnered with local libraries to create programs promoting scientific literacy. She recalls organising a science day at a local school, where students could be “germ hunters” and explore the “dirtiest” areas of the school by growing swabs (of bacteria) on agar plates—a testament to how educators can bring science to life for younger generations. These efforts, she notes, are a way to fulfil a social responsibility to facilitate scientific literacy and engage people in the joy of discovery. To this end, she encourages her GPD students to share their work in accessible ways to lay audiences. 

Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Plant advises students to remain open to opportunities, change, embrace self-reflection, and pursue roles that align with their values. She emphasises that no job is perfect, but finding one that aligns with your values and fills you with meaning and purpose, can provide long-term fulfilment. In the end, Dr. Plant’s story is a reminder that career paths are not often linear; they require a blend of self-trust and adaptability. This mindset has guided her to a fulfilling role where she can channel her passion for teaching and, as she puts it, “share that excitement of learning with others.” For Dr. Plant, true success lies in finding joy, meaning, and purpose, a lesson she strives to impart to the next generation of scientists.