Fellows will advance their interests, knowledge in policy development

September 26, 2011 - Two fourth-year students at McMaster University whose experience working abroad has fostered their interest in health systems policymaking have been named McMaster Health Forum Fellows for 2011-2012.

Harrision Niznick, who is in the fourth year of the Arts and Science (Honours) program, and Ariela Rozenek, who is completing the final year of the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) program, will both use this opportunity with the Forum to advance their understanding and particular interests related to policy development. The two were chosen from 15 applicants for the $5,000 fellowship awards.

Harrison’s interest in health policy, international development and the health impacts of climate change stems from his work with rural communities in Costa Rica, Kenya, Panama and Tanzania. He hopes to channel these interests as a Forum Fellow by promoting student discussion and debate about the future of Canadian healthcare, improving Canadian Aboriginal health systems, and overcoming water-borne disease in developing countries. He also plans to advance his interest in mediation and policy development by contributing to the planning and preparation of a series of stakeholder dialogues.

Harrison served as events coordinator for the McMaster Health Forum’s Student Subcommittee in 2010-11.

He also founded the McMaster chapter of Net Impact, a San Francisco-based NGO focused on sustainable business.

Ariela’s principal interests include the use of research evidence to improve the healthcare provided to individuals and communities. Her semester of field work in a rural community in Ghana fostered a unique appreciation for the need for evidence-informed policymaking and implementation.

As a Forum Fellow, Ariela plans to develop a sound understanding of the intricacies involved in shaping health policy, and will explore the use of social media vehicles to tap into the potential of the student community in helping to advance the Forum’s work in addressing health policy challenges.

The two fellowships will culminate next year in and internship on the front lines of healthcare decision-making, working at organizations such as the Ontario or federal governments, or the World Health Organization.

Two other students are in the final months of Forum Fellowships that were awarded mid-year because of a unique opportunity provided by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, which is housed within the World Health Organization office in Geneva, Switzerland. This year. Justin Neves, a third-year student in the B.H.Sc. (Hons.) program, and Margherita Cina, a third-year student in the Arts and Science program, began their fellowships with two-month internships at the Alliance before starting their work at the Forum.

Justin, who is currently undertaking field work in Kenya, is pursuing a specialization in global health through his studies at McMaster, and has a particular interest in public health issues. He is working to advance his knowledge on the complexities of access to healthcare, which includes looking at the social, economical and cultural factors that influence whether and how citizens access healthcare. His experience as a fellow and his role on the Forum’s student subcommittee has provided valuable insight into the organization of various health systems.

Margherita’s academic interests are focused on knowledge translation and the application of research findings to create effective policies to improve population health. During her internship she worked on a scoping review to identify and provide a preliminary synthesis of what is known about mentorship programs for policymakers. She is now contributing to the work of the Forum.

For more information on the Forum’s Fellowship program, click here.