India Edwards (recreation and health education)
As someone who is passionate about holistic health care, recreation and health education student India Edwards (she/they) was looking for a co-op position where she could make a difference.
She found the right fit with , a multi-disciplinary healthcare clinic in Oak Bay, BC. Offering a range of practices like acupuncture, registered massage therapy, counselling, nutrition, pelvic health physiotherapy and naturopathic medicine, the clinic focuses on womens' health across the lifespan.
Contributing to patient wellbeing
As the patient care coordinator, India is Glow's first co-op student and supports patients with check-ins, booking, billing, and preparing treatments rooms.
"My favourite part of my job is being the first face people see when they come in or one of the first people they are in contact with when inquiring about the clinic," says India.
"Making them feel as comfortable as possible at all stages during their visit is really important to me. I've had some amazing conversations with patients and practitioners in between appointments. I've learned just as much from speaking with patients that I have from listening to practitioners. Speaking with patients and hearing the way they speak about their experience allowed me to realise the impact my job has on their experience with the clinic."
Embracing learning at every step
"India has such a bright, upbeat energy and is excellent with patients and the team," says Rachel Mark, co-owner of Glow who is also India's co-op supervisor. "She is warm and caring and genuinely wants to support the team, Glow and our patients."
For India, she has found a mentor in Rachel and the rest of the Glow team. "I work with Rachel nearly every shift and we are always collaborating," she says.
"Everyone cares so much about women's health from education around common misconceptions to teaming up to create a multimodal treatment plan for a patient. Too many women can relate to being shut down, not taken seriously or gaslit in the doctor's office and the people who work at the clinic inspire me and fill me with hope that there is a future where women's health is understood and delivered in a holistic and supportive way."
The value of hands-on learning
India has also been excited to bring her classroom learning into her work term.
"This co-op has had countless direct correlations to my course work," she says. "Oftentimes it can be hard to see how what we learn in the classroom is applicable in the real world. This has reaffirmed my commitment and dedication to my education because the overlap is undeniable and proven extremely helpful."
For India, her time at Glow Integrative Health has also set her up with a strong foundation of professional connections.
"I've learned so much about how using a holistic approach to health gives patients the best possible care. All of the different practitioners and treatments overlap--occupational therapy can be a very broad and sometimes vague profession so knowing that my future is not set up to work in one particular way is both comforting and inspiring."
Planning for the future
As India looks to the future, she is steadfast in her commitment to community health.
"I'm really interested in preventative interventions as well. I'm currently working in the Digital Health Lab at UVic and I am excited to explore the research side of my passions as well as see my colleagues research and progress," she says.
"At this point in my studies I am working with people in EPHE that include peers, graduate students, lab instructors, PhDs and professors. Working in the lab and in co-op positions I have gained so much confidence and I hope that going forward I can use that confidence to ask questions and jump on opportunities even if it makes me nervous."