News

The over-incarceration of Indigenous women, transgender and nonbinary people within the Canadian correctional system is well researched and documented — but their voices and detailed data on their perinatal and reproductive health are not.

A generous donation from Sobeys National Pharmacy Group will support students from underrepresented groups in their pursuit of pharmacy education at Dal. The $30,000 gift will be directed toward the Faculty of Health's priority area of advancing and supporting inclusion and equity in the College of Pharmacy. The Director of the College says the donation is a welcome gift that will go towards providing financial assistance for deserving students.

When retired nurses Jeanne Sarson (MEd, BScN ‘90) and Linda MacDonald (MEd, BN ‘76) approached publishers with their book Women Unsilenced: Our Refusal To Let Torturer-Traffickers Win, the reactions were always the same—the story was compelling, but no one wanted to publish it because the subject matter was harrowing. Undeterred, Sarson and MacDonald decided to self-publish.

The School of Nursing in the Dalhousie Faculty of Health is expanding the number of prioritized seats for Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian students in the Bachelor of Science Nursing program (BScN). A minimum of 40 seats across the Direct Entry (from high school) or Advanced Standing (previous university experience) streams in the Dal School of Nursing BScN program will be prioritized for qualified Mi’kmaq students and African Nova Scotian students in the 2021-2022 admissions cycle. 20 seats will be set aside for each of these under-represented population groups. Priority will be given to applicants within Nova Scotia.

Dal Health is celebrating a milestone. In 1961, the Faculty of Health Professions was established at Dalhousie University when the College of Pharmacy joined forces with the School of Nursing. This union became the first faculty devoted to health in Canada, beginning with 107 students. Over a half a decade later, the Faculty has grown into an innovative leader within the national health sphere and a research powerhouse. It was renamed the Faculty of Health (Dal Health) on July 1, 2017, to reflect its broadened scope. From humble beginnings, Dal Health now encompasses 10 academic units, nearly 300 faculty and staff members, a student body of 3,000+ and over 25,000 engaged alumni.

Congratulations to all of our Dal Health Class of 2021! To celebrate Fall Convocation 2021, we chatted with students from across Dal Health. Name/Preferred Name: Andre Watkis Pronouns: He/Him Degree: Bachelor of Social Work Where you’re from: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Ultrasound incorporates the perfect mix of cutting-edge technology, cross-sectional anatomy, and pathophysiology. As an ultrasound technologist, you are at the frontline tasked with investigating the root cause behind the patient's symptoms. You play the detective's role and contemplate the history, lab tests, medical imaging, and symptoms to develop a cohesive list of differential diagnoses.

Before entering occupational therapy, Kaarina Valavaara spent a year in an Indigenous youth internship program in the British Columbia Public Service where she was surrounded by amazing Indigenous leaders and mentors who instilled in her the importance of using her privilege in education to serve their communities. “I know many Indigenous Peoples do not have the ability to complete post-secondary education, including graduate-level training, so I have always felt a sense of responsibility to use that education in a way that benefits Indigenous communities,” she says.

The often-quoted African proverb "It takes a village to raise a child" refers to a community of people interacting positively with children to help them grow in a safe and healthy environment. This of course refers to ‘in-person’ interaction — but can a virtual village be equally beneficial to new parents and their children?

A Dal Health researcher is helping to address important issues affecting Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) who travelled to Canada for work during the pandemic. Dr. Raluca Bejan, an assistant professor of Social Work at Dalhousie, is leading the team that is researching the workers’ experiences in the agri-food sector in the Maritimes, and how the pandemic has affected them.