Providing a supportive pathway into applied health studies

Before Joanne Nguyen even set foot in a Sheridan classroom, she knew changing careers from haircare to healthcare wasn't going to be easy.

It had been a decade since Nguyen struggled to fully apply herself in high school and departed before earning her diploma. Since she didn't possess the necessary admission requirements for Sheridan's applied health or nursing programs, Nguyen not only needed to earn a Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees certificate; she needed to achieve marks of 70 per cent or higher in core mathematics and sciences courses.

It didn't take long before Nguyen, who had worked as a hairstylist for the previous eight years, realized she needed help.

"Halfway through my first math class, I was on Sheridan's website booking a tutoring session," says the Brampton resident. "It wasn't extremely difficult math that we were being asked to do, but it was difficult for me as someone who hadn't studied math since Grade 10."

Working with one of the Pre-Health Sciences program's embedded tutors didn't have an immediate impact on her grades, but it did give her hope. "I felt like I was starting to get it," says Nguyen. "Even after not doing well on my first two tests, I knew I was capable and that I just had to keep going."

“The supports you receive in Pre-Health Sciences really helps you settle into postsecondary studies.”

– Joanne Nguyen

Less than two months later, Nguyen went into her final math test knowing she had little margin for error to achieve the 70 per cent threshold. She delivered a 98 per cent on that test, earned conditional offers into Sheridan's Practical Nursing program, and plans to start the program in May.

Nguyen is just one of many success stories to come out of Pre-Health Sciences, a one-year certificate that allows students to earn college credits while preparing for a career in health sciences. In addition to sharpening skills in biology, math, chemistry, anatomy, physiology and physics, the program helps students — particularly mature learners — adjust to postsecondary education and even exposes them to virtual reality and other technologies used in Sheridan's applied health and nursing programs.

"Pre-Health Sciences has been especially beneficial for students going into nursing," says coordinator Anthony Tavares. "Several of our recent graduates are now studying in Sheridan's new Bachelor of Science - Nursing degree, some have gone to medical school, and one (Lovedeep Kalia) even teaches in our Practical Nursing program."

International student Shubham Chaudhari took Pre-Health Sciences to earn the Grade 12 math credit necessary for entry into Practical Nursing. "The province I grew up in in India doesn't allow high school students to take biology and math in the same semester," he says. "Pre-Health Sciences also allowed me to upgrade my marks in chemistry and biology and physics. If I'd gone directly into Practical Nursing, I might not have been able to keep up with other students in my class."

"The supports you receive in Pre-Health Sciences really helps you settle into postsecondary studies," adds Nguyen.

"If I was younger, I might have given up after getting poor marks on my first two math tests, but all of my professors were really encouraging and eager to help. My tutor was also really easy to talk to, so I never felt embarrassed, and she helped break things down in a way that was easier for me to understand."

The Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees certificate is a one-year Post Graduate Work Permit-eligible program. In addition to helping students meet admission requirements for various Sheridan programs such as Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences — Athletic Therapy, Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences — Kinesiology and Health Promotion, Practical Nursing, Pharmacy Technician, Animal Care and Veterinary Technician, Pre-Health Sciences also has articulation agreements with Queen's University and York University. Learn more by visiting the Pre-Health Sciences program page.

Pictured in story are Pre-Health Sciences student Joanne Nugyen (top) and graduate Shubham Chaudhari (bottom).