Annice Gingras' Story
Hello, my name is Annice Gingras. I am a first-year Health Information Management student at the Institute of Technology campus of Nova Scotia Community College. Recently, I attended the Future of Health Summer School at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, Netherlands. Over the course of three weeks, I had the fantastic opportunity to learn and work in a multicultural environment, expanding and comparing my knowledge of healthcare on a global scale. Throughout the program, I attended lectures given by healthcare professionals from a multitude of specialties and had the opportunity to participate in field trips to various healthcare settings.
I was challenged individually and as a member of a diverse group to complete assignments and participate in open-ended conversations, which increased my self-awareness and ability to navigate ambiguity. Some incredibly impactful assignments included interviewing staff from Lentis, a mental health facility in the Netherlands, creating an overview presentation of the facility, its services, and the challenges they face, and including a global comparison. Furthermore, as a final project, each group was to come up with a solution to a global health problem; my group utilized the information learned from our visit to Lentis and based our project on the importance of cultural competency in psychotherapy to improve treatment outcomes, increase engagement, retention and address specific cultural stressors.
Outside of school hours, I engaged in many cultural activities, building relationships, adaptability, and leadership skills that I will carry with me in my future endeavours. It was an honour to participate in this incredible learning experience.
Thank you to all the faculty of Nova Scotia Community College and Hanze University of Applied Sciences for your unwavering support and guidance. I am also profoundly grateful to my friends and family, who encouraged me along this journey of personal and professional growth.