Name: Dan Lin, BSc'98, MD'03
T-Bird Sport: Field Hockey 1994-98
Current Profession/Employer: Division Head of Youth Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, St. Paul's Hospital & Clinical Instructor, UBC
 

Why did you choose to study/play at UBC?
Actually I was quite focused on trying to play basketball at UBC in those first few years.  Was never quite able to make the team.  One of my room-mates introduced me to field hockey in first year and I was able to take to it quickly.  There was a group of national team players that were T-Birds at the time who were great teachers and mentors.
 
What is your favourite T-Bird memory?
We had a pretty epic team trip down to California one year.  In general, the teams we had those years competed hard together, but liked to have a lot of fun off the field as well. 
 
What is your favourite place at UBC?
I'm rarely on campus now, but it sure has changed!  I think War Memorial gym is still there though.  I have a lot of great memories playing ball there for many years.
 
What is your biggest takeaway from the UBC MD program?
I think whatever you pursue, there is a lifelong need to find balance.  In some ways my med school experience was similar to those field hockey days.  We all worked very hard at studies.  It was a time of a lot of learning both academically and personally.  I made some really close friends who also recognized the importance of staying active, having fun and lives outside of medicine.  I still surf and play hockey with those friends to this day. 
 
What advice do you have for current Faculty of Medicine students or student-athletes?
I feel like I was still so young when it started.  There's been lots of learning - often from making mistakes.  Stay humble and be open to feedback.  It's a constant effort and I keep working at it.  Work hard but don't stop paying attention to the important people in your life.     
 
What's the best advice you can give to new Faculty of Medicine alumni for their career and/or life?
Much the same as my previous answer.  Mentor learners.  Be kind - especially when you're frustrated.  I keep working at that too.   
 
Describe what you do, in a few sentences.
I'm a psychiatrist at St. Paul's Hospital and do a lot of work in acute mental health and addiction.  I've always worked with vulnerable and homeless youth in the community and helped to develop foundrybc.ca which has become the model for youth health care across the province.  The general premise is a one stop shop where a youth can walk in off the street and access a range of health and mental health services at one site.    
 
How have you used your varsity athletic experience in your current career/life?
Sport quite naturally became a part of my clinical work.  I had some successful early experiences where sport allowed me to engage youth who were traditionally evasive and distrustful.  Psychosocial rehab has always been central to our work at Foundry and (at least pre-COVID) we have thriving recreational groups as well as vocational programs.  Over the years I've run hockey groups, basketball groups and music groups as part of my clinical work.  Youth seem to enjoy this approach and it's been an innovative way to connect with them. 
 
What is the best professional advice you've received?
One of my mentors gave me this advice in medical school.  It's symbolic so don't take the numbers too literally.  I've reflected on it often over the years.  Essentially, you have 24 hours in a day.  Sleep 8hrs.  Work or study for 8 hrs.  This still leaves 8 or so hours for a couple of other things.  First - Nurture your relationships.  Spend time with the people you love and make sure they know how much they mean to you.  Secondly - spend time with your passion.  The way he put it at the time was - if you had a day left to live - what would you really enjoy doing? 
    
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you?
The upside of COVID is that it pushed a lot of us in health care to explore the utility of virtual technologies.  This has definitely added an important tool to increase accessibility that is here to stay even after COVID!
 
Can you share any new quarantine hobbies/goals?
I have 9 year old twins who are awesome little people.  COVID has meant a lot more family time and we've had to be creative about how to spend it.  They are both quite active in their own ways and I really enjoy sharing that with them. 
 
Who is the most influential person of your life so far?
My wife has been my closest friend and confidante since UBC days.  I turn to her regularly for support and really trust her input with most of the challenges I face personally and professionally. 

How and where do you find inspiration? 
I've had the pleasure of some amazing colleagues over the years as we've tried to develop better approaches to working with complex and vulnerable youth.  We've been on the front lines of the opioid crisis and at times it has been very difficult work.  The care, enthusiasm and creativity that they bring to work has been the source of daily inspiration.
 
Name one thing on your bucket list.
Travel…anywhere Post-covid!  Riding the north shore mountains has been my main pass-time in recent years.  I have it in my mind to try an enduro race one of these days… but we'll see. 
 
In light of Bell Let's Talk Day, can you share some advice for current students?
Many young people have mental health struggles but avoid getting care and attention.  Sometimes this is due to fear, shame or uncertainty.  Sometimes it is due to shortcomings in the system as far as access.  The hardest part for many of the youth I've worked with has been that first step.  We developed Foundry to try to make that process easier.  There are a range of services including counselling, groups, peer support and medication assessment.    Talk to someone.  Ask for help.  Go to foundrybc.ca.  Treatment is highly effective and recovery is expected.