Trust, Teamwork, and a Tiny Needle

The Flu Vaccine Delivery Program’s Impact on Future Physicians

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What began as a way to ease flu season workloads is growing into a meaningful program that benefits everyone involved. By welcoming UBC medical students into their clinics, family doctors are not only boosting clinical efficiency during flu season—they’re helping shape the next generation’s appreciation for family medicine. Students are eager to participate, the only thing missing is more clinics willing to open their doors.

Each fall, family medicine clinics across Vancouver prepare for an influx of patients seeking the seasonal flu shot. But recently, they’ve had an extra set of hands — and hearts — helping out. Through a partnership between the Vancouver Division of Family Practice and the UBC Faculty of Medicine, first- and second-year medical students assist with family practice clinics, providing real-world experience while easing the seasonal workload for family physicians.

For many students, it’s their first opportunity to interact directly with patients. For clinics, it’s an example of how collaboration can make flu season more efficient — and more meaningful.

Connecting Classroom to Clinic

For second-year student Claire Braaten, the experience was her first taste of clinical medicine after months of lectures and lab work.

“In undergrad, you learn the science — physiology, lab results, all that,” she said. “But this was the first time I really got to connect with patients. You can feel their nervous energy, and within thirty seconds you’re building trust. That human piece of medicine goes beyond the classroom”.

That trust, she explained, was the most rewarding part of the experience.
“As medical students, earning patients’ trust can take time – but the program, the clinic, and the patients fostered an environment where this was possible. It was a reminder of why I went into medicine in the first place.”

For Braaten, administering immunizations was more than a technical skill; it was a formative human moment — learning how empathy, calm conversation, and reassurance transform a routine procedure into an act of care.

Confidence Through Practice

Classmate Joyce Lotchuang shared similar reflections. Assigned to a busy downtown walk-in clinic, she and another student alternated patients throughout the day. The attending physician provided a quick orientation before letting them take the lead — always available for questions, but allowing space for independence.

“It was nerve-wracking at first,” Lotchuang recalled. “You practice injections on small rubber cubes in family medicine seminars, but it’s not the same as doing it on a patient’s arm. Patients came in nervous, especially kids, and that’s where we learned how much communication matters.”

She described how humour and small talk put patients at ease.
“A lot of patients were curious — they’d ask how long we’d been in med school or joke about being our first ever patient. This helped break the ice and overall made the experience feel wholesome. It reminded me that medicine is a two-way relationship.”

Both students emphasized how the program helped bridge the gap between theory and practice, validating their skills and building confidence in patient interactions.

Helping Clinics and Communities

The initiative isn’t just about education. It’s also about supporting overstretched family practices during one of their busiest times of the year. With students handling immunizations, physicians can focus on more complex cases — improving clinic flow and reducing bottlenecks.

“The doctor was very busy with other patients,” said Lotchuang. “By taking on vaccinations, we took some of that work off her plate. It allowed more patients to get vaccinated that day, which is so important for influenza prevention.”

Braaten agreed:
“Even if a doctor can do a flu shot in a few minutes, it still interrupts their flow. Having students handle it keeps things moving.”

While student enthusiasm is high — over 160 signed up last year — the program’s expansion depends on finding more clinics interested in participating. Braaten, now helping to organize this year’s rollout, hopes to expand placements across the Lower Mainland and beyond.

“The student interest is huge,” she said. “We just need more clinics. Once physicians see how little time it takes to train us — five minutes at most — they realize it actually helps their efficiency.”

“With so many eager students ready to help contribute —  many with experience administering vaccines  — we’d love to see more clinics giving the program a try.” – Julienne Hills, Vancouver Division Program Lead

Planting the Seeds of Family Medicine

Both students noted that the flu program also deepened their appreciation for family medicine — a specialty that plays a vital role in preventive care and community health.

“I love the long-term relationships in family medicine,” Lotchuang explained. “You get to know your patients — their kids, their lives. That trust improves outcomes and makes the work meaningful.”

She also highlighted family medicine’s focus on prevention.
“You get to play a role in keeping people healthy — encouraging exercise, better nutrition, and mental health support — before health concerns become serious.”

Braaten echoed that sentiment, adding that the variety and human connection make family medicine especially appealing.
“There’s so much diversity. You can do emergency, deliver babies, work in hospitals — and you never stop learning.”

“Beyond the hands-on experience, this program introduces students to the everyday realities of family practice — fostering early interest and relationships that could guide them toward a future in primary care.” – Julienne Hills

Trust in the Next Generation

What began as a logistical solution for flu season is evolving into a rich learning model — one that benefits patients, students, and clinics alike. By trusting students with responsibility early in their training, the Flu Vaccine Delivery Program fosters not only clinical competence but also a deeper sense of empathy and community connection.

As the Vancouver Division of Family Practice continues to support and expand this initiative, both Braaten and Lotchuang see it as an essential part of their journey toward becoming physicians.

“It showed me what medicine is really about,” said Braaten. “People, trust, and care — one small moment at a time.”