(Nov 8, 2026) When Adil Mukhi was in Grade 9 at Glenforest Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario, he noticed that several of his classmates wanted to become doctors but were unsure how to get started. Some did not know what medical school required, while others struggled to find mentors or opportunities to gain research experience. The gap between their aspirations and the guidance available to them prompted him to start Dr. Interested, a youth-led organisation that helps students explore healthcare careers and develop relevant skills.
What began with a small group of students meeting online has since grown into an international community. “Dr. Interested now has 2,100 members, 900 volunteers and 367 executive leaders across 106 countries. It has impacted more than 300,000 young people through its services, reached over 10 million and secured more than $50,000 in funding for its programmes,” Adil shares with The Global Indian.
Now in Grade 12, he continues to lead the organisation while pursuing the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at Glenforest. Its activities have expanded from discussions about medical careers to mentorship, competitions, conferences, podcasts and community initiatives.
Making healthcare careers more accessible
Adil started Dr. Interested in 2024 by inviting a handful of classmates to an online meeting to discuss medical careers. What was initially an informal discussion gradually developed into a series of sessions. Students from outside his school began expressing interest, and the initiative started reaching young people in countries including India, Kenya and the UK.
The organisation’s programmes have included webinars with doctors and researchers, competitions where students present on health-related topics, writing contests that encourage science communication, and internships connecting members with mentors.
One early campaign took the learning beyond online sessions. Members created and delivered more than 375 handwritten cards to nurses, giving students an opportunity to engage with healthcare workers and acknowledge their contribution. It was a small exercise, but one that connected the organisation’s focus on healthcare education with community engagement.
Over the past year, Dr. Interested has added larger events to its calendar. It hosted MedExplore 2026 at the University of Toronto Mississauga and organised the Explore3 Case Competition, bringing together medicine, law and finance. These initiatives have widened the scope of the organisation beyond conventional discussions about medical careers, allowing students to explore how different disciplines intersect.
Mentorship and other ways to engage
Mentorship remains an important part of Dr. Interested’s work. The organisation has launched an AI-driven mentorship platform that attracts more than 2,000 participants each week, adding another way for students to seek guidance and explore their interests.
It has also developed a podcast that has found an audience beyond its membership. The show received Spotify’s 2025 Fan Favorites and Most Talked About Show awards and has reached more than 34,500 listeners.
Some initiatives have taken the organisation in less expected directions. The Simmon Chang Chess (Against Cancer) Club, for instance, brings together an interest in chess and fundraising for paediatric cancer research. Within a year of its creation, it became one of the top 10 fundraisers for the Pediatric Cancer Research Fund.
These activities involve a growing team of volunteers and student leaders who help organise programmes and engage with participants. Adil’s role has therefore evolved from bringing classmates together to coordinating an organisation with teams working across different countries.
The work has also received recognition in Canada. Dr. Interested was named a finalist in the non-profit category of the 2026 Canadian Choice Awards. Adil and his team received a 2026 City of Mississauga Civic Award. Adil was also conferred the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers at a glittering ceremony.
Adil Mukhi received the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers
Advocacy, writing and community involvement
Dr. Interested is not Adil’s only engagement with public health. He has also used writing to draw attention to issues affecting young people and communities. His articles and letters to the editor have covered subjects ranging from child welfare to climate-related health challenges. In a letter published in The Fulcrum, he made a case for vaccination as a public health priority.
In 2025, Results Canada presented him with its Outstanding Youth Award in recognition of his advocacy. His involvement with the organisation also helped him develop his research and writing skills.
Outside his advocacy work, Adil has volunteered with organisations including Results Canada, HEAL for Health, Medicine4Youth and the Ismaili Volunteers. As a Junior Team Lead with the Ismaili Volunteers, he has helped organise local events and service activities.
School life has also involved several extracurricular commitments. He has held leadership roles with the STEM Fellowship Chapter and French Club, helped steer the IB Student League and participated in HOSA, DECA, the Eco Club, AV Crew, Peer Helpers and the Writers Guild. Tennis has been another interest, with Adil representing Glenforest at competitions up to the regional quarter-finals.
Balancing these activities with the demands of the IB programme and running Dr. Interested has meant managing his time across academics, extracurricular commitments and volunteering.
Family roots and life in Canada
Adil’s family roots are in Gujarat, India. His parents immigrated to Canada, where he was born and raised. He has also spent time in India, including a year living there when he was younger.
“My parents immigrated to Canada from Gujarat State. I was born in Canada, and I have visited India and lived there for a year when I was younger,” he says.
His involvement in community service, including his work with the Ismaili Volunteers, is another part of his life beyond school and Dr. Interested. His experiences in Canada and India form part of his family background, while his current interests centre on healthcare, education and creating opportunities for young people.
Looking ahead
The youngster plans to study health sciences as a pathway to medicine, with the longer-term goal of becoming a paediatric surgeon.
He also wants to take Dr. Interested in a new direction as it enters its third year. Beyond expanding its own programmes and international reach, he hopes to make it a connecting organisation for youth-led groups across Canada. The idea is to provide these groups with shared events, resources and networks, as well as mentorship in policy and youth engagement.
“I want to turn it into a connecting organization that gives youth-led groups across Canada shared events, resources and a network, with mentorship in policy and youth engagement, while continuing to grow our global reach as we enter our third year,” he says.
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For now, Adil is balancing Grade 12 with the responsibilities of an organisation that has grown considerably since its first online meeting. As he prepares for the next stage of his education, the challenge will be to build on Dr. Interested’s expanding network while keeping its original purpose in focus: helping young people find the guidance and opportunities to pursue their interests.
