Serena Tejpar is currently an MD student at the University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine. She also holds a Master of Science in Global Health from McMaster University, as well as a Bachelor of Medical Sciences (Honours with Distinction) from Western University. While studying at Western University, Serena was commended for her “commitment to improving the Canadian healthcare system and addressing inequities in healthcare systems worldwide” following her experience as a trauma patient after a near-fatal motor vehicle collision in 2015.

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She sits on the London Health Sciences Centre Patient Advisory Board to improve patient healthcare experiences and outcomes through greater patient and family-centered care services and trauma informed policies. She has also served on the Board of Directors of ANOVA, a London, Ontario based women’s rights organization mandated to providing safe places, resources, and shelter, as well as trauma-informed support and counselling to women and girls who have survived abuse. Moreover, through her role as a Young Director with G(irls)20, she has advocated for greater representation of women and visible minorities on not-for-profit boards and community leadership roles across Canada. 

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Serena has received numerous awards and honours in recognition of her leadership, community service, and academic excellence, including being named YMCA Ontario's Young Woman of Excellence, Equal Voice’s Daughter of the Vote, and Top 50 Emerging Canadian Leader. 

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Serena has shared her experiences about overcoming adversity as a panelist and keynote speaker at the London Health Sciences Centre’s annual Talk Trauma Conference and Western University's Stories of Illness and Health speaker series. 

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Aside from Serena’s professional endeavors, she spends her time drawing, painting, and hiking in the mountains.