Innovative Medicines Canada Award

I am currently a graduate student at the University of British Columbia in the Master of Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner Program. I chose to go into the nurse practitioner program because I have a desire to work in primary care.  Since graduating from nursing school, I have predominantly worked in the emergency department, where I have had the opportunity to be exposed to many primary care cases.  I also have a passion for HIV/AIDS care and have worked with various HIV/AIDS organizations in Vancouver that emphasized on health promotion and prevention strategies.  In addition to my experiences in the emergency department and in HIV/AIDS care, my aspiration to work in primary care was solidified when I volunteered as a nurse at a slum clinic in India.  Through this experience, I learned the indisputable value of a primary care site to the well-being of a community and its people who would otherwise be unable to access health care.

I am extremely grateful and honoured to be receiving the CNF Innovative Medicines Canada award. This scholarship will greatly assist me in completing my master’s degree to become a family nurse practitioner by allowing me the freedom to focus on my studies and pursue volunteer experiences that will contribute to my development as a health care professional.  In the future, I hope to work in a primary care role with a focus on HIV/AIDS.