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Rachel Chan, Speech‑Language Pathology (MSc)

What inspired you to choose your field of study?

Working in healthcare was something I knew I wanted to do, but I never realized how many different careers there were other than being a physician. Allied health professions, specifically speech-language pathology (S-LP), was a career I stumbled into accidentally! In fact, I first learned about S-LP from my older sister when she was contemplating graduate studies – the more I learned about it, the more fascinating it became to me. I loved the idea of helping people communicate, which was a tenet incredibly important to me as an immigrant, particularly as I witnessed how critical the ability to communicate effectively was in building community.

Ultimately, I asked a professor in Dalhousie’s School of Communication Sciences and Disorders to be my supervisor for my undergraduate honours thesis (and also my supervisor for my master’s thesis – shout-out Dr. Ellen Hickey)! We conducted a qualitative study on the experiences and outcomes of people with aphasia in the Dalhousie University Aphasia Book Club, which was incidentally my first experience with people with communication disorders. Seeing and learning first-hand about the meaningful differences speech-language pathologists can make cemented my decision in pursuing this career, and I’ve never looked back.

What was a moment at Dal that you’ll never forget? 

One moment I’ll never forget at Dal was successfully defending my master’s thesis! My thesis explored spaced retrieval training (SRT) in people with dementia living in long-term care homes in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Specifically, we trained our participants using SRT to learn a functional goal based on using their mobility aid properly versus a non-functional, face-name association. The aim of the study was to determine whether functional goals were learned quicker and maintained longer compared to the non-functional goal, in addition to exploring the generalization of the former. My thesis was a culmination of three years of hard work, and I am truly so proud of myself for completing it. It was a great reminder to myself that I am capable of hard things.

Who supported you along the way and how?

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the people who made my research possible and believed in me so much that I had no choice but to do the same: Dr. Ellen Hickey, who has been a great mentor throughout this whole journey; the staff at Shannex who approved the project and connected us with participants; the participants and their families who so graciously gave us their time; and my friends who lent me their support anytime I needed it. Of course, my professors throughout this program and my clinical educators on each placement were also a great form of support, and I would not be the clinician I am today without their expertise and guidance.

Is there an academic or non-academic (eg: on-campus clubs, sports, employment) experience, project, or hands-on learning opportunity that really impacted you? 

I left each of my clinical placements changed for the better, both personally and professionally. It was such a privilege learning not only from my clinical educators, but also from my patients and clients. Their openness to letting me observe and learn was so appreciated, and I did not take their confidence and trust in me lightly. I was so honoured to be let into their lives and given the chance to help, and it was incredibly gratifying each time to get to know and love them.

Did you receive a scholarship, bursary or other award as a Dal student? If so, how did that impact your Dal experience and what did that support mean to you?

I was extremely privileged to receive multiple scholarships and awards, all of which I would have been unable to pursue my education and career without. Being awarded the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship — Master’s from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarship felt like a sign that I was choosing the right path, especially as a first-generation immigrant. My sister and I were the first in our immediate family to pursue post-secondary education (not to mention a graduate degree), which made it an incredibly daunting task even without mentioning the financial obstacles. I feel the utmost gratitude to the federal and provincial agencies for supporting students and research in healthcare, and I hope future scholars will be able to benefit as much as I did.

What does graduating mean to you?

To me, graduating is the beginning of my next step in life as a working adult, which is both intimidating and exciting considering I’ve spent the majority of my life as a student. Graduating also means that I’m finally able to use the knowledge I’ve gained throughout the MSc in Speech-Language Pathology program and hopefully make a meaningful difference for our community and patients!

What is next for you? 

I will be working as a speech-language pathologist in Prince Edward Island in the hospital setting, primarily working in rehabilitation for stroke patients in communication and swallowing, the latter of which I did not know was in the scope of practice of the profession until this program!