My greatest motivation for
applying to the Pathologists Assistant graduate program was my intense interest
in anatomical pathology and fascination in post-mortem examination. In
particular, this program interested me due to its combination of course-based
and hands-on teaching. First-hand human dissection is a unique opportunity
provided by this program through cadaver prosection, practical rotations offered
through the Autopsy Service, and gross surgical pathology. I am currently in my
second year of the program, and am receiving one-on-one training in performing
autopsies, as well as gross examination of surgical specimens and sampling of
tissues for histology, in order to provide patients with a definitive diagnosis.
I am also completing a research project on ginseng and its effects on pancreatic
beta cells, in hopes that it may be an effective treatment for type 1 and 2
diabetes mellitus. Overall, Western has provided me with the opportunity to be
trained in a fantastic learning facility, and is the only NAACLS accredited
program of its kind in Canada. The opportunity to be surrounded by excellent facilities, engaging faculty and abundant special interest seminars and workshops convinced me that Western would not disappoint. I experienced first hand the incredible research that was happening throughout London during my undergraduate co-operative work terms and knew Western's graduate school was going to be the next stop on my career path. As a second year M.Sc. student in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, I have completed courses in Health Services Research, Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics in preparation for my thesis work. My supervisory committee has been incredibly supportive in working with me to pursue my interest in Health Services Research and Chronic Disease Management. Working with a dataset managed by the Diabetes team in the Department of Family Medicine, I am looking at the determinants of referrals from primary to secondary care for Type 2 Diabetic patients in Southwestern Ontario. The Type 2 Diabetic population in Ontario has increased and is expected to increase in the future placing an incredible burden on the health care system. It is important that health care resources be used effectively, and in order to do that, we need to understand their current use. How are you going to help shape the future of Health Care?
I first became interested in maternal health issues during an
undergraduate project focused on determining the maternal, neonatal and
obstetric factors associated with postpartum depression. Involvement in
this project inspired me to pursue a Master’s degree in Epidemiology and
Biostatistics in order to gain the necessary skills to further this
research. As a graduate of the Bachelor of Arts and Science at McMaster
University, I was particularly drawn to the diverse faculty and
coursework offered by this epidemiology program. This broad foundation,
which covers subjects such as Health Service Research, Clinical
Epidemiology and Biostatistics, has prepared me for my thesis work.
Through collaboration with Statistics Canada, I have been using the
Maternity Experiences Survey which is the first pan-Canadian survey that
collects data on a variety of maternal health issues including:
prenatal and postnatal health, birth experiences and stressful life
events. In particular, I am examining the levels of prenatal and
postnatal health information acquired by pregnant women in Canada, and
whether this level of information could be associated with the
development of postpartum depression. I
completed my undergraduate schooling at the University of Ottawa in Health
Sciences. Currently, I am a second year M.Sc. student in the department. My
research interests are primarily in mental health with a focus on anxiety. For
my M.Sc. thesis I am looking at the determinants and pattern of maternal
antenatal anxiety in a
population based prospective cohort of pregnant women.
Most research in this area focuses on depression during pregnancy, while little
research has focused on the area of anxiety during pregnancy. For this reason,
I’m hoping my thesis will provide further knowledge to this limited research
area. Western has remarkable research facilities and an unsurpassed reputation
for research, I’m happy I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of Western’s
community. The Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry fosters a diverse and highly competitive academic environment. With an extensive list of renowned academic faculty available for supervision in a variety of research areas, making the decision to enroll in Schulich’s Epidemiology and Biostatistics program was easy. Undergraduate Degree: BA (Hon) - Sociology (Applied Social Research), Law The opportunity
to be surrounded by excellent faculty in an engaging and diverse program made
my decision to enroll in Schulich’s Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program an
easy one. I completed my undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at the
University of Ottawa, and I am currently a first year M.Sc. student in the department.
I have had the opportunity to take courses in clinical epidemiology, health
services research, survey research methods, and biostatistics which are
providing me with a solid foundation in Epidemiology and Biostatistics for my
thesis work. My interest in maternal
health issues began during a clinical placement in a maternal health and labour
and delivery unit at a local hospital prior to my undergraduate work. My thesis
is focusing on maternal health issues, specifically determinants and outcomes
of SGA asymmetric infants. Through
collaboration with St. Joseph’s and Victoria Hospitals in London, Ontario, I
will be using their maternal health database which collects data on a large
number of deliveries that occur at both sites. I am hopeful that my research will provide
valuable insight into this area, and add to the existing body of literature. The Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry is an environment where students are encouraged to learn theoretical and practical aspects of science, to combine their acquired technical expertise, critical thinking and hard work in pursuit of knowledge, and to make important contributions to their respective fields. It is a place where innovative discoveries are made in the laboratory, then incorporated into the classroom curriculum, keeping faculty and students on their toes and up to speed with current scientific findings. I chose to pursue graduate studies at Schulich because I recognized in myself the desire to become part of one such research environment. While pursuing undergraduate studies in psychology at the University of Waterloo, I developed a strong interest in the medical sciences, including human anatomy. As fate would have it, I discovered the Master of Science in Clinical Anatomy program website mere weeks before the application deadline. Needless to say, pursuing graduate studies in anatomy was not part of my five year plan! However, I’m happy to report that my decision to come to Western did not disappoint; in fact, my expectations have been exceeded every step of the way. My name is Kelly Pedersen and I graduated from the University of Guelph with a major in Human Kinetics and a minor in neuroscience. I fell in love with anatomy during a third year undergraduate anatomy course and decided to pursue this specialty in graduate school. I was looking for a program that included course work in anatomy, medicine and teaching as well as having the opportunity to research topics that interest me. After researching the Clinical Anatomy program at UWO, I instantly knew that this was the right program for me.
Graduate Student Profiles
Pathology
Marianne Querque, current M.Sc student in the Pathologists' Assistant Program
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Marina Richardson, current M.Sc. student
Sabrina Youash, current M.Sc. student
Salwa Akiki, current M.Sc. student
Tyler Pirie, current M.Sc. student
As a graduate of Sociology and Law, I spent the majority of my undergrad preparing for Law School, and admittedly, never truly contemplated enrolling in a Master’s of Science program. Nearing the end of my undergraduate degree, however, I realized that my passion for conducting empirical research, and aspiration to positively impact our populations’ health, far outweighed my desire to practice law. I am now in the second year of my M.Sc. program in the department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and am very pleased with the decision I made. Since having entered the program, I have developed a number of working relationships with student colleagues, departmental faculty, and researchers from both Canada and the United States. I have also had the opportunity to present research findings to the Middlesex-London Health Unit, and attend numerous seminars, conferences, and workshops which have supplemented my learning experience outside of the classroom. Currently, my research involves examining drinking patterns and behaviors among Canadian male post-secondary students. Specifically, I seek to provide a more comprehensive understanding of “pre-drinking” in Canada, as well as determine risk factors that contribute to negative alcohol-related consequences such as impaired driving and physical aggression.
Current Degree: M.Sc. Population EpidemiologyErin Macdonald, current M.Sc. student
Microbiology and Immunology
Jacqueline Hayworth, current M.Sc. student
So much has yet to be discovered regarding the ways in which our body’s defense system combats infections. My research hopes to shed some light on the immune response to bacterial agents called superantigens. These exotoxins cause over-activation of the T lymphocyte-mediated immune response, leading to immunosuppression and profound morbidity through illnesses such as toxic-shock syndrome, food poisoning, and multiple organ failure. Through a greater understanding of the interaction between these agents and our immune system, we can begin to devise novel methods of treatment for superantigen-induced disease.
Anatomy and Cell Biology
Matthew Johnson, current Clinical Anatomy Masters student
The Clinical Anatomy program in fairly unique in that it incorporates coursework, research, and teaching experience. I’ve had the opportunity to do things I never imagined myself doing, including performing full cadaveric dissections, scrubbing in on surgeries, and delivering lectures to packed auditoriums. My research involves the creation and testing of an endoscopic anatomy learning tool called 3D-Endo. The tool is a computer-based narrated tour of the gastrointestinal tract designed to facilitate student learning of the three-dimensional relationships within the abdominal cavity. Knowing that my research has the potential to change the way students are taught is very rewarding and I hope to see 3D-Endo become a permanent fixture in the undergraduate medical curriculum.Kelly
Pederson, current Clinical Anatomy Masters student
This Clinical anatomy program is unique in that it combines anatomy, teaching and research into one degree. Students in this speciality receive a well-rounded education in all streams of anatomy. The program also teaches students how to become great teachers and prepares them for a career as a trained anatomist or allows them to pursue other advanced degrees. The teaching aspect of the program really suited my interests as I already had previous teaching experience through teaching first aid and swimming lessons.
Students are also fortunate enough to have access to the great technology in the CRIPT. I am lucky to be a part of this team that works with medical imaging and computer software to produce 3D anatomy learning modules. In my second year, I will be using CRIPT technology to develop a 3D model of all the cranial nerve nuclei in the brain. Following the completion of this program, I hope to pursue further education in medicine or a career in teaching.
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