The World Doctors Orchestra set to perform in Vancouver on first visit to Canada

When he's not helping his patients, Dr. Mark Lupin is tending to his other love, music. Lupin is part of the global initiative The World's Doctors Orchestra.

The 800 member orchestra is made up entirely of physician musicians that performs three global concerts a year to raise funds for local charities. The group is performing in Canada for the first time on June, 8 at the Chan Centre.

Dr. Lupin spoke with North by Northwest's Sheryl MacKay about initiative.

How did you get into both music and medicine?

"It unfolded very naturally because I grew up in a musical family but also my father was a physician. I would be waking up in the morning and my mom would be playing the piano."

I embarked on a solo tour in England with my music and then I developed some tendonitis. It got me thinking 'I love music so much but maybe I should get a proper job like my parents always told me.'"

I ended up finishing my math degree and did my medical degree in the University of Toronto.

Simultaneously with medicine, I was still performing music. I would go to medical school in the day time, and I was concertmaster in the evenings.

Studying medicine is so demanding. How did you find the hours do both at such high levels?

If you have a love and a passion for something, you don't think of it as hours. It was nice to have a balance to medical school which is fairly intense. It was relaxing and so enjoyable to have both.

I would go with my medical bag in one hand and my violin in the other.

You've also contributed to something very special in the space industry.

I worked also to help design the joints of the Canada Arm with NASA.

I was working with a group called SPAR that was subcontracted by NASA. My job was called fluid dynamics — a branch of mathematics. It involved looking at stress on metals and different materials, as well helping to design little space instruments for the space station.

I recognized that medicine is my main career, but these were just other passions. Somehow math, medicine, and music started to blend together.

Tell me about the World Doctors orchestra.

It was established in 2007 by a cardiologist whose main mission was to raise global awareness that health care is a basic human right. He himself is a violinist and conductor and studied music professionally before getting into medicine.

Immediately when he established the orchestra, 100 physicians signed up. Now there are over 800 signed up around the world from 46 countries.

Each city we visit, we first perform in hospitals for patients. Following that, we then also perform in major concert halls.

All the proceeds benefit local and international charities.

Why was it important for you to get involved with it?

It's bringing two loves together — being able to help patients and performing music, both know no boundaries.

It's just a way to give back and meet so many different people.

The World Doctors Orchestra performs at the Chan Centre for performing Arts on Monday, June 8. The proceeds will be donated to BC Children's Hospital Foundation

To hear more, click the audio labelled: The World Doctors Orchestra visits Canada for the first time.