Michener News - Fall 2013

MICHENER NEWS A publication for staff, students and clinical partners Fall 2013

FALL 2013 Aspiring Sonographers: Educating Through a New Lens

By Siu Chu Lam, Denise Shih and Tricia Zou, Ultrasound 2014

Highlights Inspiring Others: Turning a Passion into a Profession page 3

This year, the Canadian Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (CSDMS) introduced a video contest entitled Catch the Wave. The contest was open to ultrasound students across Canada, and its goal was to educate the general public about the ultrasound profession. With interests in photography and cinematography, the three of us decided to take on this challenge. Our objective was to create an innovative and unique video, so we decided to use a whiteboard animation technique.

One month after submitting the video to CSDMS, we were informed that

we were selected as first-place winners.

In addition to this great news, we were given complimentary passes to the 2013 CSDMS conference, where our video would be presented.

Our first challenge in making the video was working out filming logistics, such as finding a room with a whiteboard, using appropriate lighting and securing necessary equipment.

Through the support of faculty at The Michener Institute, we were able to book a classroom at Michener. Since it was our first time making a whiteboard animation video, we learned through trial and error, online resources and

Orientation 2013: Evolve page 4

They Met @ Michener page 7

It’s a Wrap! The OCECCA Project Winds Down page 8

222 St. Patrick Street Toronto, Ontario M5T 1V4 www.michener.ca info@michener.ca

continued on page 2

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T H E C E N T R E O F E XC E L L E N C E F O R T H E A D VA N C E M E N T O F A P P L I E D H E A LT H S C I E N C E S E D U C AT I O N

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the aid of Michener’s audiovisual department how to set up equipment and lighting, and use editing software to compress our many hours of footage into a three-minute video. By problem-solving as a team, we were able to successfully create a whiteboard animation video.

Balancing our academic and personal commitments while creating the video was also a challenge. Having three committed goal-achievers was helpful, and we were able to designate roles to each other based on our skills and past experiences. As a crossfunctional team, we fulfilled each of our roles independently and efficiently.

There were even times when we had to put our group’s goals before our individual goals. When conflicting ideas arose, we collaborated and

compromised, which lead to greater ideas that improved the video overall.

The generous support of Michener’s Student Development Grant allowed us to attend and present our video at the national annual CSDMS conference held earlier this year in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

This opportunity allowed us to grow both professionally and personally.

The seminars we attended enhanced our knowledge by building on topics we had learned in school and taught us to look at diseases from a multitude of perspectives. The conference was an educational experience for us, as we were able to network with other sonographers, expand our knowledge about ultrasound, learn about technological advancements in the field and find out about job opportunities throughout Canada.

This experience allowed us to develop many skills that can help us reach our end goal. We discovered the significance of having a common objective, and maintaining honest and effective team communication. This enabled us to put together a variety of ideas and skill sets to create a product that would not have been possible to produce individually. The experience enhanced our ability to adapt, as well as our collaboration and organization skills.

Most of all, we found out that we had not pursued this challenge, we would never have achieved it. Lesson learned - catch that wave!

We would like to acknowledge faculty and staff Sheena Bhimji-Hewitt, Leonardo Faundez, and Tim Chipman for their help in making this video.

Watch our video, Let’s Talk About Sonography, at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yik_rjyCvhY

make an impact every month Giving monthly to Michener is a convenient and reliable way to show your support for the applied health sciences and the next generation of future health care heroes.

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You make a living by what you earn; you make a life by what you give.

- Anonymous

Inspiring Others: Turning a Passion into a Profession

By Krista Urchenko, Medical Laboratory Science 2014

L to R: Doina Oncel with her two daughters, Sarah and Maya, and Krista Urchenko.

When I was seven, I received a microscope from my parents for Christmas. I used to play with it for hours on end, looking at the slides of bugs and bacteria that came with the set. From that point on I was hooked, and knew I wanted a career in science. I had many great teachers throughout my school years and a family that cultivated my curiosity into a passion.

Unfortunately, due to limited access and social pressures, some girls do not get the opportunity to explore science. I knew I wanted to use my positive experience as a woman studying Medical Laboratory Science at The Michener Institute to mentor girls to consider science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. On Twitter, I came across hEr Volution, an organization promoting STEM education for female students in

Canada. I immediately reached out to them to see how I could get involved and promote their work. They were looking for female STEM mentors, and asked me to speak at one of their

interactive workshops for girls.

On August 24, I had the pleasure of hosting a workshop for hEr Volution at the Microsoft Store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Workshop attendees included young girls between the ages of five and 12, and some Toronto-area educators looking to learn more about the medical field. I was able to speak about my experience as a Medical Laboratory Science student at Michener, and I provided insights on how vaccines are made and how medical testing is performed. I even included a fun hands-on activity that involved making “candy DNA” to teach the girls about the structure and function of DNA molecules!

I was honoured to have the opportunity to represent Michener, my program and female scientists, and to encourage girls to consider STEM careers. I strongly encourage you to visit hEr Volution’s website to find out more about their work.

Candy DNA molecule made by workshop participants.

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T H E C E N T R E O F E XC E L L E N C E F O R T H E A D VA N C E M E N T O F A P P L I E D H E A LT H S C I E N C E S E D U C AT I O N

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Orientation 2013: Evolve - He Said

By Joel van Steenbergen, Student Orientation Coordinator, Radiation Therapy 2014

Joel van Steenbergen

Sumo wrestling, ice-cream trucks, water balloon fights, barbeques, pub nights, museums - this year’s orientation included a wide variety of exciting events for our incoming students. As orientation coordinators, we had our work cut out for us. Every day, there was plenty to keep us busy, such as making plans with the Royal Ontario Museum, renting inflatable jousting equipment and managing more than 60 volunteers.

What we found especially useful this year was using social media. The Student Success Network Facebook page acted as the new students’ online meeting place. Students asked questions about orientation, where to get cheap textbooks, and how life in general at

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Michener works. Each class also started its own Facebook group to share experiences and plan events online.

Instagram was great for capturing quick moments of the planning efforts and events. My favourite tool was Vine, a videography app. With it, Kaitlynn Roote and I were able to shoot short information videos. These small clips gave incoming students an idea of what the building, Toronto and the orientation coordinators were like.

Students recognized us much more readily as they walked through the doors for the first time.

The Michener Student Council Bonanza was a big success and a pleasure to host. Featuring free ice cream and the brief appearance of one orientation coordinator in a sumo suit, the event provided students with a chance to get to know one another as they competed in jousting, sumo suit

wrestling, Velcro carpet racing and water balloon tosses. Memories were made and students were soaked.

We also took the time to take in the finer things in Toronto, including the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Royal Ontario Museum. Playfair loosened students up, Goldmind the Mentalist blew students’ minds and the welcome BBQ for students and staff filled everyone’s bellies. O’Grady’s Tap & Grill hosted the Student Council & Medical Radiation Sciences Society Pub Night and Toronto Trivia event. At the end of the week, students piled into double-decker buses for a tour of the Big Smoke and ended the day with a Blue Jays game.

All in all, it was a lot of fun to be able to participate in planning and coordinating orientation. This academic year has had an exciting start, and The Michener Institute is in for a stellar year!

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There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.

- Denis Waitley

Orientation 2013: Evolve - She Said

By Kaitlynn Roote, Student Orientation Coordinator, Radiation Therapy 2015

Kaitlynn Roote

It all seemed to go by in a flash: our few short weeks of involvement in orientation preparations seemed to be a dream or distant memory by the time registration day came. After that, it was a flurry of new students everywhere and the Orientation Team running around to set up events and coordinate volunteers.

When everything was said and done, three days felt like only a few hours!

My name is Kaitlynn Roote, and along with Joel van Steenbergen and the Student Success Network (SSN) crew, we helped plan Orientation 2013: Evolve at The Michener Institute. It was a wonderful opportunity to finally see the behind-the-scenes work of such an undertaking and actually have a part in the coordination process. I had volunteered for orientation events at my previous school, but had not been part of the actual planning. It was a great experience to be part of the team working on orientation. I genuinely believe it is one of the most important events at Michener.

We did a few things a little differently this year - particularly, our

social media presence. Joel and I felt that social media was an underutilized resource, and the SSN team agreed. So we posted Vines (short, six-second video clips) nearly every day to the Michener SSN Facebook page. This helped garner interest in, and spread awareness of, orientation, and also helped showcase to incoming students just a few of the school’s many resources and facilities.

Our social media presence also helped us seem more approachable, as incoming students were able to see who we were, and would know who to approach with questions. During orientation itself, many students approached Joel and me, because they knew who we were, and felt comfortable enough to come to us with questions or concerns. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that was a great feeling, and I believe it helped make orientation more enjoyable for many students.

Such a social media endeavour should be pursued and expanded on in future orientations.

Overall, orientation was very successful. While the proportion of attendees per total incoming classes was similar to previous years, participation in our social events was better, and the overall retention rate improved significantly. We attribute these statistics to our social media presence, and to

favourable tweaks in the orientation schedule and timing of events. Better timing for end-of-day, non-academic events allowed more students to attend, and were well received. So, while there is always room for improvement, we made great strides this year, and we better understand what types of events are most successful.

Joel and I were so lucky to have worked with such a hard-working, welcoming group of people. We truly couldn’t have pulled it off without the collective efforts of our volunteers and the staff involved. Thank you so much!

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T H E C E N T R E O F E XC E L L E N C E F O R T H E A D VA N C E M E N T O F A P P L I E D H E A LT H S C I E N C E S E D U C AT I O N

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Orientation 2013: Evolve - More Photos

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I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me.

- Dudley Field Malone

They Met @ Michener

By Alexander Tran, Ultrasound 2012

In September 2010, my instructor Leonardo Faundez arranged for the first patient of my practical exam to be Pan Xie, Radiological Technology 2012.

Unlike typical love stories where two people meet and instantly fall in love, the days and weeks that followed for us were uneventful - because we never crossed paths. Despite being on the same floor of the school, it wasn’t until our third evaluation when, as fate (or Leo) would have it, we were paired up once again.

Nearly three years later, my idea for my marriage proposal was simple: bring Pan to the same ultrasound room where we first met. I requested Leo’s assistance to send her a fake email about a short recruitment commercial being filmed for the Ultrasound program. I also secretly

contacted and invited our closest friends.

On July 18, Pan waited in the library while we did our “film shoot.”

Afterwards, we brought Pan into the ultrasound room, claiming to require mock footage with a patient. After Pan was lying on the ultrasound stretcher, the curtains were drawn and everyone got into position. Leo then drew open the curtains, revealing me dressed up holding a bouquet and ring.

What followed was my speech expressing the importance of the ultrasound room, which led me to Pan, the love of my life. After bending down on one knee and asking the most important question a man asks in his life, she said “Yes,” and history was made: the first ever marriage proposal in Michener’s ultrasound room.

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Alexander and Pan, photographed with Leonardo Faundez

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T H E C E N T R E O F E XC E L L E N C E F O R T H E A D VA N C E M E N T O F A P P L I E D H E A LT H S C I E N C E S E D U C AT I O N

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It’s a Wrap! The OCECCA Project Winds Down

By Andrea Strachan, OCECCA Project Lead

Funded By:

What is the best and most efficient way to centralize and consolidate occupation-specific language testing, research and training for health professionals in Ontario? For the past two years, the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Communication Competency Assessment (OCECCA) Project has been investigating just that question.

Administrated and hosted by The Michener Institute and funded

by Ontario’s Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the OCECCA Project worked closely with a committee of advisors from the allied health professions, the language assessment community and the immigration sector to create a delivery model and business plan for a sustainable service and research hub. This centre would facilitate the integration of internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs) into Ontario’s health care sector by offering competencyrelated communication training and assessments.

At the heart of the project is the idea that communication competency is a critical contributor to the strength

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require the support of an existing and sustainability of the Ontario health organization whose infrastructure can sector. Broadly put, communication readily support the centre’s activities. competency in the health care The OCECCA Project concluded on environment is the multifaceted ability October 31, at which time all research to practise safely with integrity and and project materials to support the professionalism, while also being able implementation of an OCECCA would to communicate across language, be handed over to an interested host, or cultural, generational and situational returned to the Ministry of Citizenship barriers. While fundamental and and Immigration. Further details on the advanced language knowledge and OCECCA Project, including its inventory ability are the most visible areas of of tools, programs, and resources for communication competency, others, IEHPs, are available on OCECCA Project’s such as sociocultural and pragmatic website. competence, are often underassessed, yet may be crucial to the professional success of IEHPs in the Canadian health care system. The establishment of an OCECCA, which would facilitate and assess all aspects of communication competency across health professions, would benefit all Ontarians - patients, administrators, clinicians, practitioners, and IEHPs.

After consulting with major stakeholders, including health regulators, assessment professionals, employers, government and IEHPs, the OCECCA Project Visit w w w . m i c h e n e r. c a / a l u m n i for more has determined that information about your Alumni Association! the most cost-effective, service-oriented, and financially sustainable scenario for establishing B E S T E X P E R I E N C E • B E S T E D U C A T I O N an OCECCA would

engage. connect. support.

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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

Building Knowledge, Awareness and Relationships Compiled by Lissa Manganaro, Editor, Michener News

33 Respiratory Therapy (RT) students joined the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists in 2013 and ranked second for the most new student memberships for all Canadian RT programs. Congratulations Michener and well done!

- Aristotle

scholarly activity reporting If you have attended or presented at conferences or workshops, or participated in publications, you are required to complete the online survey of Faculty and Staff Scholarship Activity in accordance with the Data Review and Scholarship Tracking Policy.

Please report your achievements upon completion of each scholarly activity through the online survey.

For more information, contact Applied Education Research at research@michener.ca

New Donor’s Corner

By Wudasie Efrem, Development Officer, Office of Advancement

Leonardo Faundez (far left), Rosie Nouraini, Amir Soheili and Cindy Draycott (centre) with second-year Ultrasound students.

On June 18, Cindy Draycott, Operations Director, Rosie Nouraini, Senior Technologist and Amir Soheili, Program Chair at Mackenzie Health and Michener Nuclear Medicine alumnus 2003, were recognized for their gift of two ultrasound units and 12 transducers to The Michener Institute’s Ultrasound program. At the presentation, which

occurred during the faculty liaison meeting and included second-year preclinical semester students, Marco DeVouno, CFO at Michener, presented Draycott, Nouraini and Soheili with plaques and copies of The First 50 Years, a special-edition book about Michener.

Afterwards, the Mackenzie Health representatives had the opportunity to

tour the Ultrasound lab, which currently houses the donated equipment. As stated by faculty, the two units and their range of accompanying transducers are allowing ultrasound students more practice and scanning time, and are ultimately helping them become better prepared for their clinical semester.

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T H E C E N T R E O F E XC E L L E N C E F O R T H E A D VA N C E M E N T O F A P P L I E D H E A LT H S C I E N C E S E D U C AT I O N

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Getting to Know You

By Shannan Bernst, Administrative Assistant, Radiation Therapy and Chiara Villasenor, Academic Scheduler Carla Bertin

We are very excited to announce the newest addition to The Michener Institute’s Facilities Department: Carla Bertin is joining the team as the administrative assistant. She is coming on board after earning two undergraduate degrees and she is very excited to be working for an organization with such a wonderful reputation. Carla shows great enthusiasm for her job, and she has noticed that, so far, everyone here

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at Michener is equally passionate about their respective roles. All the best, Carla!

Ingrid Schvarczkopf

We would like to extend a very warm welcome to Ingrid Schvarczkopf, who joined Michener on August 12 as the student enrolment coordinator in Recruitment.

Ingrid was born in Romania and lived there for the first eight years of her life.

After attending Kings’ University College (affiliated

with Western University) and working at a couple of other places, she is very happy to have landed here at Michener. She feels that her previous work experience in recruitment and her academic training at a relatively small post-secondary institute will significantly contribute to her success.

In her spare time, Ingrid enjoys reading, baking, doing yoga and in the summer, participating in outdoor sports at the beach. Ingrid took the trip of a lifetime a couple of years ago when she returned to Romania and also explored Hungary, Austria and Germany. If you want to know more about her adventures in these countries, just ask her!

B E S T E X P E R I E N C E • B E S T E D U C AT I O N

define your course

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M I C H E N E R . C A / C E

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MICHENER NEWS EDITOR Lissa Manganaro COPY EDITOR Sharon Ashaek LAYOUT & DESIGN Vikki Kam

Continue to grow with our evolving health care system.

ADVISORY BOARD Don Bartlett Shannan Bernst Andy Berthiaume Jordan Holmes Emma Sabo Chiara Villasenor

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Visit www.michener.ca/ce for new offerings, including cutting edge courses in Medical Radiation Sciences.

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Cross Sectional Anatomy - A Multimodality Perspective

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Image Interpretation for Radiological Technologists Ultrasound Localization for Radiation Therapy Pathology for MRI Technologists Multimodality Imaging for Medical Radiation Sciences online course

Special thanks to our contributors: Shannon Bernst Wudasie Efrem Siu Chu Lam Lissa Manganaro Kaitlynn Roote Denise Shih Andrea Strachan Alexander Tran Krista Urchenko Chiara Villasenor Tricia Zou

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Michener News is dedicated to informing, recognizing and inspiring the Michener community. The quarterly print publication intends to reflect the people, strategies, initiatives, social activities, gatherings and events that capture the spirit and momentum of the Michener community as we actively work toward achieving our strategic intent: Best Experience, Best Education.

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