- What was your Undergrad Institution and Major?
I hold a bachelor degree in Nursing from Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, China. I came to the United States and earned an MBA degree from Andrews University. Now I am a student in Northwestern University under the MSHC program.
- What encouraged you to pursue this health communication degree?
After working for one year, I understood that I was looking for the opportunity to continuously develop my potential, and push my limits of creativity. At the same time my family suffered a medical health issue and that was when I realized the importance of enlightening the public on how common illnesses work, the treatments available, and methods of disease prevention, so that the community will be less prone to illnesses and not totally lose hope in life. I believe that majoring in the MSHC program will significantly help me achieve my goals in being able to spread health awareness to the public.
- What are your career goals?
I would like to dedicate my efforts to researching and eventually be an accepted and productive member of the health communication research community. I also intend to create a better solution to improve the health communication system between the medical team and the patients.
- Any tips on balancing school, work, and life?
Never procrastinate. I always try to understand the learning objectives two days in advance, as such, I will have enough time to adjust my thoughts and writing for the assignment. There will be a lot of writing and reading tasks during the project. Arranging a reasonable schedule and setting a completion time for myself can greatly improve my efficiency.
- How do you practice self-care while in the program?
The combination of work and rest is also very important. Hiking, fishing, and reading are my hobbies that I do to rejuvenate. More importantly, I ensure I get sufficient hours of sleep each night.
- How have you been able to use the current content in your work?
The program has broadened my understanding of the complexity of healthcare in both breadth and depth. These knowledges are invaluable because it can be applied not only to work but also in life. In addition, the communication skills I learned in class effectively assisted me in presenting health related resources to my family and friends.
