I had a 12-month position as a clinical research assistant in the respiratory research department at BC Children’s Hospital. I coordinated 2 long-term studies evaluating the lung function of cystic fibrosis patients using novel breathing tests & lung imaging techniques. I worked with 100+ patients (paediatric & adults), and learned all about clinical research ethics, data collection, lung function test & MRI scan operation, chronic disease management, & audit preparation.

I joined co-op to learn what research is like, and which careers paths I may want to pursue in the future. I learned a lot of technical skills working at a biotechnology start-up, and I felt like I was contributing to cutting-edge diabetes research in an academic lab! I recommend co-op to anyone who wants to explore a career in science first-hand and discover what type of work you might enjoy.

I worked for 8 months at STEMCELL Technologies, and another 8 months in a lab at UBC. During my time in biotech, I explored various scientific disciplines while learning lots of bread and butter techniques like cell culture and microscopy. In academia, I honed my passions and used my technical skills to design and conduct original research projects. I appreciate the flexibility of my work schedule and enjoy the freedom of being able to explore science that interests me.

Being in the co-op program has been one of the best highlights of my undergraduate experience, as many of my fellow biotechnology classmates would agree. I did two work terms in academic labs (Haney and Roskelley labs at UBC) and one term in industry with STEMCELL Technologies. These experiences gave me valuable insight into the type of research I enjoyed and allowed me to build connections that helped shape my future career goals.

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