Natalie Mezey MA, BSc. Hons.

Natalie Mezey is currently an MD Candidate at Queen's University. Previously, she received her Master of Arts in French Linguistics from Carleton University and her Bachelor of Science in Honours in Neuroscience and Mental Health from Carleton University.

Mezey's research background is in neuroscience, ophthalmology, access to care in rural and remote communities, history of medicine, linguistics, and discourse analysis.

In the recent years, Mezey has contributed to research on:

• The history of medicine and early cataract surgery in China;
• An investigation into the interest in Laser in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic;
• Exploring intraocular pressure measurement methods for Boston Keratoprosthesis patients;
• The impact of wait times on TAVI outcomes;
• Slit lamp and ophthalmology education for undergraduate medical students;
• Exploring the attitudes of Canadian Ophthalmology Residents on Rural and Indigenous Ophthalmology Education;
• Myopia and time outdoors;
• Person First Language in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension;
• Neuro-ophthalmic complications of immune checkpoint inhibitors; and
• Correlating functional deficits to structural deficits in a mouse-model of retinal ganglion cell degeneration.

Furthermore, Mezey has been involved in several impactful projects:

• Founder of "See the Path", a mentorship program for Indigenous high school students to get early, non-hierarchical, informal and positive exposure to medicine;
• Co-author and editor of children's books that help demystify complex medical topics for pediatric patients and their guardians: "Our Friend Blood" (2022); "David's Eye Patch and the Super Devicers" (2023) (sold at cost on amazon.ca)

If Mezey were to collaborate with another researcher, she would love to contribute to research that has the potential to directly enhance patient care, access to care or understanding of disease management. She would therefore be eager to contribute to projects involving clinical research, case reports, systematic reviews, or other projects.

Mezey is a volunteer medic with the Canadian Ski Patrol and loves to ski, hike, kayak, and climb.  Her most memorable hikes were Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; Mt.Vinicunca and the Salkantay trek in Peru; and the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. She is also a long-time advocate for the Canadian Neuroendocrine tumour patient community and has used her half marathon and 10k races to raise funds and awareness for this cause. Natalie has also been a poetry performer for the Polish Embassy, reading poems in English, French and Polish at various public events over the years.