Recent Grad Shares Insight Into WIL Opportunities in the Healthcare Sector

Flannery Sadler, Patient & Community Engagement Coordinator from the Health Equity, Patient & Community Engagement at Scarborough Health Network, joined as a guest speaker in the Career Development Class for the Bachelor of Commerce - Healthcare Management degree program.

As a former student and graduate (2021) of the Healthcare Management degree program, Flannery shared her insights about the networking process, starting from her experience as a student and how she cultivated and nurtured relationships with her professors to establish her professional network. Given that the practice of information interviews can be challenging for students, in the beginning, Flannery explained that informational interviews could start with persons in one’s network. Then the practice can expand to connect with other professionals. Maintaining an active and positive attitude is essential and is an ongoing process.

Flannery provided an overview of her role in patient engagement and education, explaining the importance of keeping the patient perspective present at the hospital. The position also entails collaborating with healthcare teams to provide a service that reflects the community’s needs. The information session included insights about areas of growth and development for possible student placement at the hospital in the summer 2023 and the potential for students to be engaged in various activities, including health equity, human resources, communications, and health literacy.