Sera Thomas

When I was in highschool I did a project on HIV Aids. I really enjoyed the process of synthesizing research and coming up with research questions. I was first introduced to applying the pathophysiology of a disease and combining that with its epidemiology to analyze the trends of HIV Aids. This really intrigued me and led me to the decision that I wanted to be an epidemiologist.

Once I decided epidemiology was what I wanted to do I enrolled in Life Sciences program which provided me with the background on human biology, statistics, and scientific methods in order to prepare me for a Masters degree.

I continued my progression through professional experience at Mount Sinai Hospital which gave me firsthand experience with the world of research and health policy. I was particularly drawn to improving patient outcomes and the reduction of hospital-acquired infections. I realized that the most effective way to contribute to patient outcomes was to apply evidence-based medicine. Thus, I enrolled in the Epidemiology program.

I specifically chose epidemiology because it is a very useful and beneficial skillset professionally and personally. It provides not only knowledge but application of quantitative methods to research. Statistical analysis is core to testing hypotheses, answering research questions, and generating larger conclusions. Epidemiology provides the research methods that will ensure your study design will generate valid outcomes. What interests me the most about epidemiology is its interdisciplinary nature; it combines the use of quantitative and research methods to generate conclusions that can be transferred into evidence-based medicine. In addition, the discipline requires collaboration with various teams (researchers, health policy makers, scientists, economists, physicians, healthcare providers). This collaboration fosters networks which are efficient, effective, beneficial to creating better research projects and research outcomes.  

My favourite memory studying at Western is the Research Seminar course. It provided the opportunity to be introduced to many professionals in the field and learn about their career trajectories and research projects. It was an excellent way to discuss how epidemiology is applied in their work lives and to network. I appreciated that the research seminar exposed me to epidemiology in different research areas, gave me the “Insider Insights” and all I had to do was sit in one place!