Hometown: Courtenay, B.C.
Program: Master of Health Administration
Year in Program: 2
What inspired you to pursue your program?
I had been working in laboratory services on Vancouver Island since 2006 and saw a huge shift over the last five years that was impacting the delivery of care. This was mainly due to environmental disasters, public health emergencies and other workforce challenges. I wanted to further my education and gain a better understanding of the healthcare system to continue progressing on my leadership journey and find ways to make a difference. The UBC MHA program meant I could keep working while enhancing my knowledge, so I’m able to take my learnings back and apply them in real time.
Why did you choose UBC?
I looked into several programs across Canada and kept coming back to UBC because of its strong reputation. As healthcare leaders, we are facing many complex issues and a locally based MHA program framed around our current realities was an obvious choice. I completed my undergrad degree independently through distance education, so the cohort model and opportunity to learn with, and from, other professionals from across B.C. appealed to me immensely. It’s a bit of a trek to get to the UBC Vancouver campus from Courtenay, but the experience is totally worth it and I’m glad I made the decision.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
Graduating, of course! I’ve enjoyed the material we’ve covered to date, and there have been some amazing instructors and guest lecturers from various organizations around the province. I’m looking forward to what this year has in store for us and building on the knowledge from last year. Also, our cohort is awesome, so it’ll be fun to reconnect with my classmates for year two!