The School of Graduate Studies reached out to several graduate students recently to find out how they are handling the transition to remote learning.

How has their respective research and graduate program been affected? What are their self-care routines? How are they are staying connected with their colleagues, supervisors, family and friends? For the last graduate student profile, we are checking with a student society.

Medical Graduate Student Society

“We have representatives from all different areas in graduate studies in the Faculty of Medicine, from biomedical sciences to community health and humanities to human genetics, and the shift to remote studies has affected everyone quite differently.

A lot of students in our faculty are involved in projects that range from benchtop research to patient engagement, so much of that has been put on hold.

However, we’ve been using this time as a society to really try and reach out and connect with other students in the faculty.

We’ve hosted several successful online game nights thanks to screen sharing, and it’s been a great way to disconnect from what’s happening and reconnect with our peers.

There are a lot of great resources for mental health and self-care, and we’ve been trying to share as many of them as possible with other students in the faculty.

For example, there have been several mindfulness and meditation sessions, which are great for relieving stress and re-focusing.

We’ve also created and circulated a wellness BINGO card, where students can participate in different wellness activities on the card and submit their responses for a chance to win gift cards from local businesses.

It’s meant to encourage everyone to participate in activities that promote well-being and support local at the same time.”

This is the last of seven regularly published graduate student profiles. 

Visit the Resources for Graduate Students page for helpful information regarding health and wellness, academic continuity, student support and more.