Program: MSc, Genetic Counselling
Year in Program: 2
I was inspired to pursue genetic counselling because it allows me to fulfill my career aspirations of helping and working with a variety of people, in the context of something I’m fascinated by. Genetics is a fascinating field – everything that makes us unique, yet similar to one another, is encoded in our tiny bundles of DNA, and even the slightest changes to these codes can have large impacts. As genetic counsellors, we get to learn about the effects of these changes, and then translate this knowledge into useful information for our patients and provide emotional support to them through their hardships – and I think that’s very meaningful work! Plus, genetic counsellors get to wear many hats (they’re also researchers, teachers, scientists, detectives, and more), and genetics is a rapidly growing field, which means I always get to learn something new.
I am most looking forward to spending more time with my classmates! Unfortunately, our first year together and summer plans changed because of the pandemic, and some of my classmates returned to their home provinces, so I am excited to be learning (and having fun) alongside them again in the fall. I am also looking forward to expanding my clinical experiences and collecting data for my research project in the coming year.
Recognizing and validating feelings of discomfort, stress, and low motivation were important first steps for me. When everything first started, our graduate advisor, Dr. Jehannine Austin, talked to us about how we are all feeling grief: over the loss of things we had been looking forward to, the loss of structure and routine that I was comfortable with, and the loss of certainty over what the near future would look like. Identifying grief made it easier to process as a normal emotional response to what is happening, and find ways to cope.
I try to add variety to my days by splitting my time up for work and leisurely activities. On days where I feel less productive or motivated, I try to be kind to myself by, for example, allowing myself to take the break I need instead of feeling bad about it. Keeping in touch with friends and family, re-visiting old hobbies, and finding silver linings/things to look forward to, have also been helpful in improving personal wellness. Finally, personal wellness on a physical level, which includes staying hydrated and active, and maintaining good personal hygiene to stay healthy, is important too!
Physically-distanced picnics in the park are my favourite, and I also enjoy video calls with friends to catch up.