The Centre for New Immigrant Wellbeing (CNIW) is delighted to celebrate the achievements of three of our student team members—Arianna Ding, Keiran Gill, and Angela Xu—who are currently pursuing medical education in Canada and the United States.
While coming from different academic backgrounds and institutions, all three have been actively involved with CNIW through research, community service, and student leadership. Their achievements reflect not only their individual dedication and hard work, but also the important role that research and community engagement can play in the development of future healthcare professionals.
Kieran Gill
Medical Student, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Medical Student, University of Toronto
Medical Student, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Kieran Gill
Kieran Gill is currently a medical student at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), with an academic background in biology, psychology, public health, and health research. He graduated with distinction from Queen’s University with an Honours degree in Biology and Psychology in 2023 and subsequently completed a Master of Public Health at MUN, where he was named a Fellow of the School of Graduate Studies. He also completed a Master of Science (Medicine) at MUN under the supervision of Dr. Peter Wang.
Kieran’s MSc research was closely connected with CNIW’s research program. His thesis, Navigating a Dual Crisis: Confidence Responding to COVID-19-Related Discrimination and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Chinese Residents in Canada, examined important health and social issues affecting Chinese communities in Canada. During his graduate studies, Kieran presented his research at several national and international conferences and contributed to peer-reviewed publications.
Beyond his own research, Kieran has made significant contributions to CNIW’s student training and community programs. He has been actively involved in the CNIW Summer Camp program, where over the past several years he has helped mentor and supervise high school and university students in research activities. His involvement has provided younger students with opportunities to develop research skills and gain experience in public health and community-based research.
Kieran’s interests include health equity, public health medicine, and culturally responsive healthcare. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service, contributing nearly 1,250 volunteer hours across seven organizations. As a Student Board Member at CNIW, Kieran brings experience in research, program development, mentorship, and community engagement, with a particular interest in supporting youth and immigrant communities and translating evidence into meaningful programs and services.
Angela Xu
Angela Xu is currently a medical student at the University of Toronto. She graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Medical Sciences, achieving a 4.0 CGPA and receiving the Western Scholarship of Distinction.
Angela has a strong interest in public health, health equity, cognitive aging, and community-based health research. At CNIW, she has served as both a Research Support Officer and Research Associate, contributing to research, program development, and community health initiatives. Her work has included involvement in CNIW’s PHAC-funded vaccination project and the English in Medical Setting project, supporting culturally and linguistically appropriate health education and services for immigrant communities.
Her research experience also includes work with the Cognitive Aging Laboratory at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she contributed to a systematic review examining telemedicine experiences among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Angela has also been actively involved in community service, including volunteering in long-term care and supporting underrepresented youth through science and mathematics tutoring. As she pursues her medical training, she continues to integrate her interests in medicine, research, public health, and community engagement.
Arianna Ding
Arianna Ding is a medical student at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a double major in Health & Disease and Biology, where she was recognized as a Dean’s List Scholar.
Arianna has research experience spanning oncology, biomedical science, and public health. At Taiho Oncology Inc., she conducted research on zipalertinib, an investigational therapy for non-small cell lung cancer. At CNIW, she studied the relationship between vitamin D and COVID-19 outcomes and presented her findings at the AMMI Canada-CACMID Annual Conference. She also contributed to cancer-related research at Stony Brook Renaissance School of Medicine.
Arianna has co-authored peer-reviewed publications in Biomedicines and Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery. Her clinical and community experience includes volunteering at Casey House, an HIV specialty hospital in Toronto, and serving as the Student Representative on the CNIW Board of Directors. Her interests lie at the intersection of clinical medicine, biomedical research, and public health.
Celebrating Our Students
CNIW is proud to see Keiran, Angela, and Arianna continue their journeys in medicine. Their experiences demonstrate how students can combine academic training with research, community service, and engagement with immigrant communities.
Supporting student development is an important part of CNIW’s work. Through research projects, summer programs, community initiatives, conference participation, and leadership opportunities, CNIW provides students with opportunities to gain practical experience, contribute to meaningful research and community programs, and develop their research, communication, and leadership skills.
We congratulate Kieran, Angela, and Arianna on their achievements and wish them continued success in their medical education and future careers.