Forum’s latest awardees in developing skilled future leaders in strengthening health and social systems

The McMaster Health Forum is pleased to announce the latest awardees of our Developing Skilled Future Leaders in Strengthening Health and Social Systems project: Natalene Sim, Tasnia Noshin, Shiqiang (David) Jin, Tiffany Yu, Alexandra Phelps and Vidhi Bhatt.

Natalene and Tasnia travelled to South Africa in mid-May to work with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) and the South Africa Centre for Evidence (SACE). Together they have assisted on a project focusing on gender-based violence which included attendance at DPME’s National Strategic Plan on GBV: Pillar 6 Conference.
David and Tiffany also travelled to South Africa in mid-May to work with the Provincial Department of the Premier and SACE on a project that involves cross-sectoral evidence mapping with a focus on crime prevention. All four awardees working with our partners in South Africa have learned the research processes of health policy with an additional exposure to stakeholders and how they are engaged in health policy research.

Alexandra and Vidhi will be travelling to India to work with our colleagues at the George Institute for Global Health. Working within the Healthier Societies division, the awardees will learn and understand the procedures and processes employed by the Health Systems and Equity program to gain a better insight into global health challenges which will expand their knowledge of global issues and solutions.

Funded by Global Skills Opportunity, part of Canada’s International Education Strategy, this multi-year project aims to diversify the destination countries typically made available to students and are geared towards students who have been typically under-represented in international study/work programs. Over the next four years, the Forum will facilitate meaningful international experiences through this opportunity for 40 undergraduate students by integrating them into projects focused on real-world initiatives.

Students will gain a foundation of knowledge by working alongside senior scientific staff to support the Forum’s programs, which use the best-available research evidence to generate action on the pressing health- and social- system issues of our time. Participants will then apply this foundational knowledge by working with one of McMaster’s international research partners through an internship or applied research position in a health and medical research institute, government ministry or research organization setting.

To stay connected with our Global Skills Opportunity awardees, follow @McMasterForum on Twitter.

Read more about the Global Skills Opportunity program offered by the Forum.