¶¡ÏãÔ°AV

"I chose ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV because of its renowned Master of Public Health program; I was drawn to the social justice lens that the program takes towards population health. I also chose ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV because of its fantastic track and field program."

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Alison Andrews-Paul

March 11, 2022
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master's student in the Faculty of Health Sciences

My name is Alison Andrews-Paul and I am a Master of Public Health student with the Faculty of Health Sciences. My research interests include multimorbidity resilience among older adults, an area I think is important considering our aging population. I am also a passionate member of ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV's track and field team and run the 800m and 1500m.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COME TO ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV?

I chose ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV because of its renowned Master of Public Health program; I was drawn to the social justice lens that the program takes towards population health. I also chose ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV because of its fantastic track and field program. I felt like it was a place that would help me achieve both academically and athletically.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH OR YOUR PROGRAM TO A FAMILY MEMBER?

Researching multimorbidity resilience involves asking 'Why do some people do better in the face of multiple chronic conditions than others?' Managing multiple chronic conditions on a daily basis involves social support, physical strategies, and psychological strength. My specific interest lies in how resilient responses to multimorbidity translate into protection from other adversities, such as fall injuries. I am asking 'are older adults who are able to do well in the face of chronic disease also more likely to avoid acute health challenges like falls?' Through this work, I hope to refine the definition of multimorbidity resilience and learn how we can promote it in community-dwelling older adults.

WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY ENJOYING ABOUT YOUR STUDIES/RESEARCH AT ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV?

The ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Master of Public Health program provides so much flexibility in regards to which specific skills you want to develop and areas you want to focus on - I get to choose my own adventure! This flexibility is also balanced with specific requirements that allow me to develop competency in the field of public health. I enjoy my studies because of this balance and because I am very passionate about my area of research.

HAVE YOU BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF ANY MAJOR OR DONOR-FUNDED AWARDS? IF SO, PLEASE TELL US WHICH ONES AND A LITTLE ABOUT HOW THE AWARDS HAVE IMPACTED YOUR STUDIES AND/OR RESEARCH.

I am an ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Graduate Fellowship recipient. This award has been instrumental to my pursuit of a thesis in a program that is predominantly course-based: I felt like I did not have many opportunities to apply for financial support because the program is not oriented towards those who are also interested in pursuing research. As such, I was incredibly grateful to receive the Graduate Fellowship and it has allowed me to better focus on my research rather than trying to work a bunch of additional hours outside of program requirements.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PROGRAM/POSTDOC POSITION TO SOMEONE STILL SEARCHING FOR A PROGRAM OR POSTDOC POSITION?

I would highly recommend the Master of Public Health program at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV. It is the only Master of Public Health program in Canada that is Council on Education for Public Health accredited: meaning that it is recognized globally. This accreditation is demonstrated in the way the program is structured; it has a great balance of quantitative and qualitative skill development as well as content that is equally focused on social determinants and health system approaches to population health. It also has a practicum requirement that allows students to choose specific organizations with which they would like to develop their skills in a real-world setting.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE?

Here are some of the things outside of my academic program that I have enjoyed about ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV:

- The Faculty of Health Sciences has a variety of interesting and impactful research areas.
- ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV is located in a really cool corner of the globe.
- ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV is an institution with events and opportunities beyond academics.

 

Contact : alisona@sfu.ca

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