VOL 1
NOVEMBER, 2017
THE APPLE Health Studies Students' Association
THISÂ ISSUE:
Exec Team Prof Campaign Grad Column Remembering Andrea Christidis
Sta yu p to foll ow date We b i ste rnH ng the y me dia SSA s o acc oun cial ts
Meet your Exec Team Discover the faces behind social media, events, and more! The Health Studies Student Association (HSSA) is the sole representative body of all undergraduate students of The School of Health Studies. HSSA is dedicated to providing health studies students with resources to enhance their overall experiences in all areas of student life. Reach out to us with any questions or concerns regarding Health Studies at Western!
Prof Campaign By: Adam Masri
Favourite thing about being a student, words of advice, favourite TV show and more! Hear it first hand from some of your professors!
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Grad Column By: Arushan Arulnamby Name: Jangriti Sharma Current Position: Speech-Language pathologist at a private practice Graduate Studies: Master of Clinical sciences in SpeechLanguage Pathology at Western University Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Health Sciences, Honours Specialization in Health Sciences (Scholars Electives program) at Western University Favourite Health Sciences Course: HS 3050A Health-Related Quality of Life What is speech-language pathology? Speech-language pathology involves the assessment and treatment of a broad range of speech, language, voice, swallowing, and cognitivecommunication disorders. Speech-language pathologists provide services to patients/clients of all ages, in a variety of settings (ie – Hospitals, schools, clients’ homes, private clinics, children’s treatment centres, nursing homes, rehabilitation centres, universities, etc.). Many people think our job solely involves treating stutters or lisps, but our scope of practice is very wide! Why did you choose this profession? Did you always know this was the career you wanted to pursue? I knew I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare because I was passionate about the opportunity to work one-on-one with clients to help them address their health-related concerns. Originally, I thought pursuing medicine would be the best fit to help me accomplish this goal. However, in the middle of third year I wasn’t too sure that medicine was the path I was excited and passionate about anymore. While researching other professions in healthcare I discovered speech-language pathology and realized it was exactly what I was looking for. I was drawn to speech-language pathology because I love that the field is focused on improving health-related quality of life by improving communication – a vital part of our daily lives. Our scope of practice is also wide enough that I knew there would never be a dull moment in my career, since we can practice in so many different settings with a broad population of clients. I also enjoy collaborating with others, and as a speech-language pathologist we have many opportunities to practice and provide input as part of an interdisciplinary team.
What did you do in your undergraduate years in and outside of school to prepare yourself for graduate studies? One of the ways I prepared for my graduate studies was by volunteering with speech-language pathologists in different settings, such as hospitals (University Hospital and Victoria Hospital here in London) and at a community private practice. These opportunities allowed me to learn more about the profession by watching clinicians in the field in action and asking them questions about their career path. I also talked to individuals who were currently in the Master’s program or had recently graduated to get more perspective about the program’s structure and the process of entering the workforce after completing the program. My extra-curricular activities (ie - Alzheimer’s Western Club executive, being a Peer Writing Counsellor with the Writing Support Centre, acting as a Residence Soph at Delaware Hall, volunteering with Learning it Together and the Alzheimer Society of London & Middlesex) all involved working as part of a team or one-on-one with individuals and these experiences also helped reinforce my decision to pursue a career where I get to work with people of all ages. Participating in extra-curricular activities also helped me develop my leadership, organization and time management skills, which all came in handy when I began graduate studies.
What is the structure of the Speech-Language Pathology program at Western University? The program at Western is a two-year (6 terms), course-based Master’s program which includes supervised clinical placements. When I was in the program, my first year consisted of 3 terms of class and 2 clinical placements (1 in the winter term and 1 in the spring term). The first clinical placement is at the H.A. Leeper Speech and Hearing Clinic, which is located inside Elborn College. This was very convenient since all of our classes were at Elborn College and it was nice to start seeing clients in a clinical setting where your supervisors are speech-language pathologists who are also full-time clinical supervisors at Western University. My second year consisted of 2 terms of class and 3 clinical placements (1 in the fall term, 1 full-time placement in January, and 1 final placement in the spring term). Since clinical placements occur during and in between terms of class, it allows you to put inclass knowledge into practice as you progress through the program. How is the transition from undergraduate to graduate studies? In some ways the transition to graduate studies was more difficult, especially managing a full course load and placement at the same time during my second semester of first year. However, in many ways I found graduate studies less stressful than undergraduate studies. Since I was already used to four years of taking lecture notes and preparing for exams (proud member of Club Weldon), this part of graduate school felt pretty routine. I had the added bonus of completing my undergraduate degree and graduate degree at the same university, so I knew my way around Western and London pretty well! There is also a lot of pressure in undergraduate studies (particularly fourth year) to get the highest grades possible to have a competitive application to graduate programs (as much as possible, try not to stress about your grades…it just detracts from your ability to study and enjoy what you are learning!).
The opportunity to have clinical placements was very exciting and rewarding because I got to support real clients through the assessment and treatment process. I also felt like I was part of a close-knit group and made life-long friendships since our fairly small class (my graduating class consisted of 35 people) shared in the highs and lows of graduate school together for 2 years.
As a speech-language pathologist, what does a typical day encompass? Since speech-language pathologists can practice in so many different settings, the day of a speech-language pathologist can look very different depending on who you talk to! I am currently working at a private practice which specializes in assessing and treating children with different speech, language, and communication needs (ie - Children with language delay, Autism Spectrum Disorder, articulation disorders, motor speech disorders, fluency disorders, etc.). A typical day for me usually involves seeing a few clients for assessment or treatment sessions (ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour), writing up clinical notes which describe what happened in each session, contacting any new referrals who are seeking speech and language services, and preparing for my client sessions for the following day or week (ie – preparing the activities for the session, considering strategies which parent(s) can use in the session and at home to support their child’s speech and language, brainstorming homework ideas which the client and parent(s) will target at home after the session). I may also have to attend meetings with or talk to other professionals (ie – pediatricians, teachers, occupational therapists, psychologists, daycare staff) who work with my client to gather information or discuss the client’s goals and progress. Since I see clients with a broad range of needs, I also spend time seeking out professional development opportunities (ie – webinars, conferences, workshops, journal articles) which allow me to strengthen my knowledge in different areas of practice. For those interested in this profession, what would you say are important skills to have? First and foremost you should be passionate about working with other people. As a speech-language pathologist you are always communicating and collaborating with your clients, and more often than not their families and other interdisciplinary professionals as well. Patience and compassion are also of the utmost importance to establish a good rapport with clients. Creativity is an important skill because assessment and treatment is not one-size-fits-all and depending on factors like your client’s abilities, their interests, and the setting you are working in, you will have to think of creative ways to determine and support your client’s goals.
What are your future career goals? I would like to continue to provide speech and language services in the community as part of a private practice, since I enjoy the diverse population of clients and the flexibility of service delivery.
providing services at a public level at some point in my career, as part of a Children’s Treatment Centre or school board team, since I think this setting offers even more opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and teamwork. Is there any advice you would like to share with current Health Studies undergraduate students? I would advise current students to embrace “setbacks” in their plans for life after undergraduate studies. Those setbacks or moments when you fail will allow you to re-evaluate your goals and determine if you want to continue working towards them or if you should consider a new plan. Sometimes making changes to your pre-determined career plan can lead to even better opportunities which you may never have considered or discovered if it weren’t for the challenges you encountered. Another piece of advice, that I’m sure students have heard before but should always be reinforced, is to have fun! It’s possible to be a good student while also spending time outside of the classroom to do things you enjoy, whether that means participating in a favourite sport through intramurals or going to Richmond Row for a night out.
Remembering Andrea By: Yasi (Yasaman) Farshad I met Andrea at the young naive age of 6, back when life wasn’t complicated. We were naive to life's harsh realities, pain and loss. Little did we know what our newfound friendship on the first day of school would mean years down the line. 12 years later, after graduating from different high schools, we found ourselves going dorm shopping together at bed bath and beyond, excited to both start our first year at Western. She was so in love with this school and she was so sure of her early decision to accept her offer into health sciences. I on the other hand was unsure of leaving Toronto, but she influenced me to step out of my comfort zone and start this new chapter of my life away from home. So I accepted my offer here and it was the best decision I had ever made. Not because of the experience, but because of the short time I got to experience it with her. Our first month of school was the happiest month of my life. She lived in Med-Syd and I lived right across in Elgin. We both met such incredible new people – ones who I will love and cherish for the rest of my life – she would have to. From frosh to homecoming, to library dates and late nights out; it didn't take long for us to fall in love with this school. On Wednesday October 7th, 2015, on my walk home with Andrea from our Math 1229 lecture, we talked about her first and only exam she
wrote, her bio mid-term mark. She was surprised at how well she did. She always underestimated how smart she was. I was so proud of her. I remember this conversation because it was our last. The last time I saw her warm, kind, beautiful smile. That Wednesday night I was studying for an exam I had the next day when I got a text from Andrea’s roommate, asking if I was with her. As it neared midnight, we knew she was missing. Campus police lines were busy so we went out looking for her and eventually approached the scene of a major accident on Lambton Drive, across the tennis court. I remember seeing a car smashed into a light pole. I felt my stomach drop and my throat close – I couldn’t breathe. Soon after I found out why Andrea was missing and in that moment my life changed forever; my world turned upside down. She was hit by a car while she was walking, less than 5 minutes away from home. The driver was drunk. He was going 90 km/h and she flew ten metres, before hitting the ground. She was on life support for less than 2 days before she was declared brain dead. She passed away on October 9, 2015. I have never known of pain until that day, how it can take over every bone in your body and every thought in your mind; a mental and physical torture. Pain helplessly
and hopelessly wishing you could give your life to save theirs, wishing you could turn back time, wishing they could hear you as you say goodbye. They say time heals all wounds and grief gets better with time. Part of this is true, but for some, loss cuts a wound that will never fully heal - for some of us will never find peace with how our loved ones were taken. We just get better at living with it. For those of you who never knew Andrea, I want to try and give you a picture of who she was in the best way I can. From a young age, Andrea was a natural leader, smart and charismatic. At the age of 11, she was valedictorian of our graduating grade 6 French immersion class. 6 years later, she graduated from high school with French immersion honors, grades that she worked so hard for and an ambition you couldn't fake. She had big goals and dreams for her future. She had an artistic side to her that not everyone knew of, that really encompassed who she was. She loved literature, read countless books, nearly one a week. I used to make fun of her when she'd pull out her iPad and read while doing her hair, while we’d be getting ready to go out. Her and I both shared a love for Harry Potter. Read each books, maybe more than once. I remember her dad dropping us off to the midnight premiere of the final movie, how ridiculously excited and emotional we were. She loved art. Her passion for painting began in high school. With no prior lessons, her oil and acrylic paintings were stunning. She loved photography and dreamt of travelling, to see historical monuments and natural beauty of the
world. She put effort into little things, like carefully wrapping your birthday and Christmas gift, and always writing you a meaningful card. She cared to talk about world/societal issues rather than being ignorant to subjects and tragedies that are easier to ignore. Just a week before she was killed, she had a lengthy emotional conversation with me about the heartbreaking case of Marco Muzzo, who had just killed 3 children and their grandfather while driving drunk (September 2015). I know that with whatever path she would have chosen to undertake; she would have been so unbelievably successful. Andrea was a hard worker, with everything she put her mind to. She spent the summer before first year working along side her dad at ice n cake, her family’s dessert café in Toronto, instead of going to Greece. She wanted to save up for school, and felt responsible to support her dad - to never leave him without extra support. My selfless, loving, pure best friend with the kindest heart, most contagious laugh and most incredible smile. No words can describe the irreparable suffering and pain her loved ones have and will continue to feel forever. 6 months after Andrea passed, her father who had no prior health problems, passed away of a heart attack. This was death caused by heartbreak and grief, for being unable to protect his baby girl. The reality is that this tragedy could have been prevented and there are many factors that played a part in
how this ended. Right now I want to shine light on how it began: with one man and his choice. Jared Dejong made the choice that decided Andrea’s fate, taking away a lifetime of happiness, pain, growth and love she had yet to experience. He made the choice to play a game of chance with human life and ended up taking hers. He planned to drive impaired that night and in nearly all fatal drunk driving cases, this choice is made ahead of time. He selfishly chose to put someone else’s life in his hands the moment he stepped in that car. He had the knowledge and understanding to identify that impaired driving is illegal and the risk that comes with it; that was a chance he willingly took when he planned and chose to drink and drive. Many people perceive this an accident, a mistake in judgment from a young man– they are wrong. While he didn’t plan to kill Andrea, calling this an accident belittles this crime. He made a choice to ignore his moral responsibility on the road and ended up taking her life. This is the reality of the risk that every person takes when they get behind the wheel impaired. This is the outcome people dismiss each time, thinking it could never happen to them - It’s ignorance. If the risk involves a life other than your own, it’s NEVER worth taking. In 2016, Canada ranked #1 among 19 wealthy countries, including the United States, for number of roadway deaths due to alcohol impairment. Crashes involving alcohol and/or drugs are the leading criminal cause of death in Canada. On average, approximately 4 people are
killed each day due to impaired driving. If you take a step back and look at the bigger picture, this should not be debated, the answer is simple. The cost of sacrificing your convenience, or spending money on a cab is nothing compared to the price of taking a life. The price Andrea paid. The price we have paid and will continue to pay. Andrea would have been in her third year, she would have been celebrating homecoming tomorrow, but he took that and a lifetime away from her.
A cab, public transit, Uber or having a dedicated designated driver is all it takes. If plans fail unexpectedly, call a friend, a parent, or even the police and leave the car behind. Speak up if you see it because while I personally know how hard confrontation is, especially with friends, the guilt that you will feel is not comparable. The key is to educate yourself and the person with facts, studies, numbers and evidence. Speaking up may save a life.
loved ones, for taking the time out of your day to stand against impaired driving, a senseless and completely preventable crime. To honour Andrea and those who came before and after. Those whose lives were cut short, sustained injuries or disabilities, due to someone else’s ignorance. Thank you to the HSSA for all the time, effort and planning you’ve put into this beautiful walk for the second time. Thank you for listening to Andrea’s story, my selfless, loving, kind best friend, and for keeping her memory alive.
Andreas Walk September 29, 2017
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