Rachel McKellar (left) and Nikki Yurkiw
Rachel McKellar and Nikki Yurkiw took their high level problem-solving skills honed throughout their Medical Laboratory Science program and applied them outside the lab in their graduating year to initiate a series of Student Wellness Nights.
The results revealed a fuller picture of what it takes for the Class of 2018 to lead a balanced, well-rounded, healthy life in their future lives and careers.
A career that was better than TV
Medical laboratory technologists play a critical role in the health-care system, if sometimes lesser known, by performing lab tests on blood, body fluids, cells and tissues.
"It kind of pushes you out of the comfort zone in a lot of ways, and I think people don't know there is a lot of knowledge and information required to be a medical laboratory scientist," said McKeller, who combined her role as president as president of the Medical Laboratory Science Students' Association with hobbies such as coaching volleyball and volunteering for different organizations.
"I really liked the people and how small the classes were. I felt MLS was a nice meld of science and health care," she said.
Yurkiw, promoter of a healthy lifestyle-and proclaimed cat lover-was convinced MLS was the right path for her from the start. "At first, the program was not quite what I was expecting, but it ended up being better," said Yurkiw. "I had this idea of labs being more like what you see on TV, but it is a very dynamic and diverse environment. It changes so much, all the time."
Being in small groups for every course made all classmates very close to each other and to the program administrators.
"It's a great environment. We've made a lot of really good friendships. It's nice to have that level of support," said Yurkiw.
From safety to self-care
The MLS Student Wellness Nights came into existence because of a safety concern voiced by one student about returning home late at night after completing their required shift work.
"Originally it was going to be just one event. Rachel and I brought up the idea to Lisa (Purdy, director of the MLS program) of contacting someone to implement a self-defence class at the school," said Yurkiw. "She agreed, and then she suggested that we try to expand it and create a full wellness program."
More Wellness Nights were organized by Yurkiw with McKellar's help and the support of volunteers. MLS students from all years were invited to attend for free. Recent activities included a paint night, financial wellness talks, a session on nutrition and a puppy playdate organized with the collaboration of Sundance Animal Rescue.
"For us it was about creating events to remind people about self-care," explained Yurkiw. "An hour of our time here and there can have many benefits and won't mark the difference between passing or failing a course."
"Our brains are still developing in our education and I think it's a really good time to start incorporating those self-care mechanisms, so that it's just second-nature for you when you actually get out there to work and don't have enough time for yourself," added McKellar.
Thanks to the success of the Wellness Nights pilot project, Yurkiw and McKellar will pass the torch on to current MLS students to organize them and a new wellness position has been created in the MLS Students' Association executive. They hope the turnout for the activities continues to grow.
Open doors to a bright future
Yurkiw is ready to move to Saskatchewan, where she has obtained a job as a lab technologist at Yorkton Regional Hospital. She is interested in expanding her expertise in the area of infection control.
McKellar is looking at options to stay in Edmonton and explore specialized areas of MLS.
As promoters of wellness, they will especially miss the gym at the PAW Centre and the U of A initiatives to encourage students to be well-rounded.
McKellar's advice for current and future students is to focus on taking risks.
"Moving from high school into university I was still stuck on that 'cool kid,' 'I'm not going to try, I'm going to be able to just do this on a dime' idea," said McKellar. "If I could go back, I would tell my former self, 'Don't be afraid to try and put yourself out there' because that's more of a confident thing to do, as opposed to pretending that you don't care, when you actually do."
Yurkiw wants to remind students to try new things and get involved in different activities.
"Let yourself enjoy your time at the university. Don't get so caught up on thinking about taking the classes and passing. Four years is a long time to just get through, so you should be here to have a fun experience… And it's never too soon to start caring for yourself."