My interest in healthcare started many years ago. Way back when I didn’t have any first aid or medical knowledge what-so-ever. On my way home from work I witnessed a cyclist being run over by a cement truck. I was the only person to stop and help him for what seemed like an eternity. Others did eventually help but I felt pretty lost and did everything I could for the guy. After that, I signed up for ‘the biggest/baddest’ first aid course I could find which was Occupational First Aid Level 3 at the time.
Wanting to gain more experience, now that I took the OFA3 course, I began volunteering with St. John Ambulance. I was a Divisional Staff Officer with the Tri-Cities Brigade in Port Moody and a First Aid Instructor for many years. In 2007, I became a Licensed Practical Nurse. I enjoyed working on a medical/surgical ward but my favourite form of nursing was with hospice.
In 2010, I became a member of UBC’s Mass Gathering Medicine Interest Group’s Executive Team and worked as a Senior Research Assistant and also became a licensed Emergency Medical Responder.
In 2014 I began working full-time with UBC’s Department of Emergency Medicine Residency Program. I really enjoyed the challenge of scheduling ~30 medical students and residents doing their Emergency Department rotations each month. I really cared about each learner and personalized their schedules to their individual needs each block. Also during this time, I joined Odyssey Medical part-time and then eventually to full-time.
Jumping now to 2020. A new year, a new decade…and new adventures. I’ve opened an online store and shifted my work with Odyssey from full-time to casual and consulting. A scary step, but new doors are opening.