Failing forward: From university drop out to PhD
Dr. Aryan Safakish’s professional trajectory wasn’t linear. He failed out of university the first time, but that didn’t stop him from trying again and working his way to a PhD in the medical field.
Aryan Safakish had always wanted to pursue sciences.
But it wasn’t meant to be—not at first.
During his undergraduate studies in Guelph, Ont., he struggled to keep his grades up, and failed out of his first year.
After about a year working in the service industry, he began to realize that without a post-secondary education, his options were limited. So, he made the decision to go back to school.
“Not being able to finish university was a massive setback that really made me question myself and my capabilities,” says Safakish. “Yet, I wasn’t completely deterred. The doubt drove my ambition to reset my goals and prove to myself that I was capable.”
Thanks in part to the Chang School of Continuing Education at TMU, Safakish has more than proven he is capable.
Today, not only does he have an undergraduate degree - he recently earned a PhD from TMU.
Aryan Safakish at fall convocation 2024 where he was honoured for completing his PhD in medical physics.
Alternative education pathways
Safakish’s experience of setback is not unusual. Professional and educational trajectories can often zigzag in unexpected ways.
For him, the first step was finding a path back to university through The Chang School, where he completed three university credit courses that could be transferred to an undergraduate program.
He enrolled in two chemistry courses and a liberal arts course.
“The class sizes were really small and offered more personalized attention, an ideal learning environment for someone who had previously struggled,” he says. “I think it also made me feel more personally accountable because I had more one-on-one interaction with the professors.”
Since both his parents worked in the health-care field, Safakish had always been interested in pursuing sciences and applied to the TMU biology program.
Ultimately, he was offered a spot in the medical physics program at TMU. It combines medicine and physics to gain understanding of medical imaging, radiation therapy, radiation protection and health physics to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses like cancer.
“TMU is unique in offering a medical physics degree, which blends physics and biology courses almost equally,” explains Safakish. “Elsewhere, students would have to pursue a general physics degree, that may not focus on medical applications, to get into the field.”
Overcoming obstacles
The road to post-doctoral studies was not without its challenges. Having completed both his undergraduate and graduate degrees with relative ease, life events during the latter part of his PhD threatened to throw him off course.
In January 2020 Safakish started full-time research working with patient images at Sunnybrook Hospital as part of his studies. “Three months into placement, we were faced with the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns,” recalls Safakish. “I was still going into the hospital every day, with no end in sight to the pandemic, and decreasing morale among hospital staff. It made me question if I even wanted to complete the PhD at that time.”
Safakish also suffered a personal tragedy, losing his father to the pandemic in 2022.
“While I wanted to take time away to grieve, I also found motivation to finish,” he shares. “A few months after the loss of my dad, my wife and I found out she was pregnant and that gave me a renewed sense of optimism.”
One step back, two steps forward
"Constant studying at the expense of everything else never worked for me. Recharging is essential."
Between processing his grief, his growing family and his academic responsibilities, Safakish persisted, determined to take control of his future.
When asked what advice he could share with others who may be at a similar crossroads or facing their own adversity, he said:
“It’s important to maintain a clear head when making major life decisions, although I recognize I’m fortunate to have good mental health, so this may not be as straightforward for some. I think the key is to take care of yourself first and for me that meant prioritizing breaks to avoid burnout. I made an effort to take weekends off from studies when possible and spend time with friends.”
Safakish says he also benefited immensely from having a supportive partner through it all. “I have a strong relationship that was able to handle a lot of external pressures,” he says. “I'm very lucky in that sense.”
The important work of a medical physics resident
First image: Dr. Aryan Safakish is now a medical physics resident at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, a placement he began in July 2024. Photo credit: Karen Kirchhoff, Supervisor, Photography Services, Thomas Jefferson University
Second image: Dr. Aryan Safakish’s work involves the use of linear accelerators which target and treat cancer through radiation therapy.
When Safakish re-embarked on his academic journey, he wasn’t thinking about postgraduate studies. He just wanted to earn a degree. In his upper years he began to realize the limitations of his professional prospects without graduate studies. This motivated him to continue his studies towards a more prosperous career.
Most medical physicists work in cancer radiation treatment facilities, and sometimes in hospital diagnostic imaging departments. They can also work in hospital-based research centres, universities, government and industry.
In October 2024, Safakish finished his PhD and is now completing a two-year medical physics residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital’s radiation oncology department, in Philadelphia.
His day-to-day work varies widely. Some days involve assisting in brachytherapy procedures (internal radiation that places radioactive seeds inside the body to treat cancer) in the operating room, working with physicians and anesthesiologists on treatment planning. Other days, residents help physicians by overlaying MRI and CT scans for better visualization and diagnostics.
Residents are also responsible for maintaining linear accelerators (high energy X-rays or electrons used to destroy cancer cells), ensuring they function properly and conducting routine monthly and annual quality assurance testing.
“It has never been a better time to be a medical physicist, it’s a great career,” says Safakish. “If you’re looking for something with less schooling, there is also a high need for dosimetrists and radiation therapists.”
Medical physics residents are responsible for maintaining linear accelerators. These devices use high energy X-rays or electrons to target and destroy cancer cells without damaging surrounding healthy tissue.
A future in medical physics
Despite having once grappled with self-doubt, Safakish is well on his way to becoming a skilled and compassionate medical professional who will provide critical care to patients during a difficult time in their lives.
His experiences, the highs and the lows, have all helped to shape him and created a future that was as unexpected as it is fulfilling.
