Meet Tolu
Our 11th guest on the Inside Clinical Series is Tolu Faromika, a first year Clinical Psychology PhD student in the neuropsychology stream at York University. Tolu completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC).
Originally from Nigeria, Tolu moved to Prince Edward Island when she was 10 years old, and then later moved to Toronto for university. Her early experiences, particularly in forming a strong connection with an older woman on her street, who later experienced declines in her memory, were of particular importance. Although Tolu had always been interested in psychology and the brain, it was this experience that sparked an interest in memory.
Alongside her academic work, she remains actively involved in community initiatives, including the African Impact Initiative, and hosts the BrainCore Podcast, where she highlights the many paths psychology graduates can take.
Tolu’s journey reflects a non-linear but intentional path to clinical psychology. One that is shaped by curiosity, resilience and a willingness to explore.
Tolu’s Undergraduate Degree at UTSC
When it came time for university, Tolu knew she wanted to study psychology. She applied broadly across Canadian universities, but ultimately chose the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) for its psychology co-op program.
“I really liked that it offered co-op because I did want to get more experience... I wanted to know what kind of work I would actually be doing.”
From the beginning of her undergraduate degree, Tolu was highly motivated and future-oriented. She entered UTSC with the goal of pursuing academia, a path that felt fitting given her long-standing interest in teaching. At a young age, her grandmother had given her the nickname “Professor”, because of natural abilities to explain and teach concepts to others.
“I was really interested in teaching from a young age. And so my grandma gave me this nickname Professor from the age of five. Because there would be times where I would just sit her in a room and just start teaching her about things that she probably knew way more about.”
At the time, Tolu planned to complete her undergraduate degree, go on to pursue graduate studies in experimental psychology, and eventually build a career in academia. Clinical psychology was not yet part of that plan.
However, that would change after gaining hands-on experiences through her co-op placements.
Co-op as a Turning Point
The UTSC co-op program played a major role in shaping Tolu’s undergraduate degree and future in clinical psychology. Her first co-op placement at SickKids as a research assistant in the Crosbie Lab was when she first started to question her original plan. In this placement, Tolu was exploring neurodevelopmental disorders, helping administer assessments to children who had a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). While she enjoyed the research aspect of the role, what stood out the most was the ability to connect with the individuals coming into the lab.
“Of course the research was interesting but I really just loved the relational aspect of it and I started to question my plan.”
For the first time, Tolu began to question her long term goals, and started looking into clinical psychology programs. At the time, however, she was unsure if clinical psychology was the right path, particularly given the therapeutic aspect of the work.
The reflection continued into her second co-op placement at Baycrest Hospital, where she shadowed neuropsychological assessments and contributed to research on cognitive interventions. It was through this experience that Tolu began to recognize how clinical psychology could integrate research, assessment and therapeutic intervention in a way that felt meaningful and engaging.
Navigating Rejection: An Important Gap Year
Upon finishing her undergraduate degree in 2022, Tolu had already applied to three clinical psychology programs: York University, Toronto Metropolitan, and the University of Toronto Scarborough. While she received an interview at York, she came to the important realization that fit matters.
“And in the interview, of course, you're also interviewing your potential supervisor and getting to know what their supervisory style is like and whether you'd be a good fit in their lab and I think it just wouldn't have been the best fit.”
Instead of committing to a program that did not fully align with what she was looking for, Tolu spent the following year gaining clarity around her research interests and next steps. She continued working part-time at Baycrest Hospital, while navigating the financial realities of life after graduation.
“You’re out of school, you’re paying rent, and it’s hard to do all of that with a part-time position.”
During this time, she applied broadly to research and psychology-related roles, and found that she was not hearing back. Seeking guidance, Tolu reached out to an undergraduate mentor who encouraged her to step away from linear thinking and focus on finding a way to make ends meet.
After securing a part-time job in customer service, Tolu became more involved in the research projects being done at Baycrest and began narrowing down her research interests in the area of memory. In order to prepare for her next round of applications, she was talking to current students in the program to seek advice on her application materials.
This period ultimately allowed Tolu to gain clarity, refine her interests, and approach her next application cycle with greater confidence and direction.
Cross-Training in Neuropsychology
Tolu’s interest in neuropsychology developed organically through her academic and clinical experiences. From working in an infant lab, to assessing children at SickKids, to completing neuropsychological work with older adults at Baycrest.
Rather than narrowing her focus to a single population, Tolu found the importance of gaining experience with individuals across the lifespan.
“It’s literally been across the lifespan. And at no point was I like, ‘I don’t enjoy this.’”
Now training in the adult clinical stream at York University, Tolu has intentionally chosen to pursue cross training in the clinical development stream, including courses in pediatric assessment and psychopathology. This lens allows her to better understand typical developmental stages in childhood, and how to identify/assess neurodevelopmental disorders, so she is able to recognize how these disorders may present themselves later in life.
“We’re seeing undiagnosed ADHD in older adults. Knowing what it looks like in childhood helps you understand what you’re seeing later in adulthood.”
Advice for Applicants
Drawing from both her own application experience and her exposure to reviewing statements of interest, Tolu shared several insights for students preparing to apply to clinical psychology programs.
One of the most encouraging observations she offers is that many applicants are accomplishing far more than they realize.
“I think a big strength that I've seen so far is people are doing a lot of stuff. I know it was hard when I was applying, where you're feeling like you should already have a publication, but people are doing a lot of things. And so I think that's a huge strength.”
Where applicants often struggle, however, is not in their lack of experiences but how they present them. Tolu notes that many statements of interest read as a list of accomplishments rather than a cohesive narrative.
“Sometimes it reads like an amalgamation of facts. It’s just ‘I did this, I did this, and then I did this.’ And that's amazing because you're highlighting your experience. But I think sometimes what you want to see is more of a narrative.”
Another common mistake is centering the statement around why you would be a good fit for the program, instead of showcasing why this program is a good fit for you.
“There is this tendency to say why I would be a great fit for the program. But really, you want to kind of show that this is the logical next step for your professional development.”
African Impact Initiative and Global Work
Alongside her academic and clinical work, Tolu has been deeply involved with the African Impact Initiative (AII), a nonprofit organization. She joined as a first-year rep at UTSC and has stayed with the organization for seven years, where her current role lies in program management.
“I applied to be their first year rep and I really just resonated with their mission and vision. Being Nigerian and being part of the Nigerian diaspora, you always ask yourself if there are things that you can do to help out back home.”
AII focuses on empowering young entrepreneurs, providing education on building ventures, running an accelerator-style program, and offering funding opportunities in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and University of Toronto.
“In earlier parts of the program, we were giving $25,000 to an entrepreneur to continue building their idea.”
Through AII, Tolu has had the opportunity to travel to Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa, where she helped host a pitch day in Cape Town. The organization also does work in Toronto, supporting new immigrants and connecting them with resources.
“These are, you know, friends that have become like family, like we're planning weddings, we're celebrating birthdays together, friendsgiving, traveling together, you know, funding business ideas.”
Even in grad school, she continues to contribute where she can, all while balancing her academic, research and clinical work.
Final Takeaways: Stay Curious and Trust the Process
As Tolu reflects on her journey in clinical psychology, one message stands out above all else: stay curious. She explains that it is easy to lose sight of why you chose this path in the first place, especially during moments of uncertainty or difficulty.
"A lot of the time we assess our journey by achievements and not by the learning that’s actually occuring.”
Rather than focusing solely on one's achievements, such as getting into graduate school, securing that scholarship, or landing the job you wanted, Tolu encourages students to pay attention to how much they are growing and learning along the way.
“You know more this year than you knew last year, and you’re in a completely different place than you were.”
For Tolu, curiosity has been the driving force behind her willingness to try new roles, explore different research areas, and reach out to others for guidance. She emphasizes that much of her learning has come through trial and error.
“Like a lot of learning comes from just trial and error. Trying to figure out is this the lab that I want to work in? Is this the type of research that I want to do? Is this the university I want to go to? And so being able to try things, maybe I'll apply to be a volunteer there or I'll reach out to just have a chat with the principal investigator.”
Ultimately, Tolu reminds students who are hoping to pursue a career in clinical psychology that curiosity, risk-taking and authenticity often matter more than the accomplishments listed on your CV.
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