Alumni Profile - Katherine Rizzi, MHIS'15

Current position: Analyst, The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer

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What is your current job title and place of work?

"I am a health services researcher. I’m currently working as an Analyst in the Regional Integration Office at The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. In this role, I work with regional leads in the cancer care system across the country to help identify gaps in services, access to care, and structure, as we work towards improving our national cancer care strategy. Prior to this role, I worked as the Lead UX Researcher with a Toronto-based health start-up focusing on medical education."

How did HIS help you get where you are in your career?

"The HIS program provided me with the fundamental skills to critically assess and appraise evidence and information in all its forms. I have been fortunate to work in a variety of sectors within healthcare, including academia, not for profit, government funded, and private start-up. The research and critical thinking skills instilled in me during my graduate experience have been incredibly valuable throughout my career. A central part of this program is understanding the role information can have in creating cohesive and connected structures within healthcare, if you have the courage to question and sometimes push back against the norm. Being able to leverage the power of health information to create meaningful change has been a crucial tool in my career."

What would you say to a person considering the program?

One of the most appealing parts of the HIS program is the embedded flexibility, where you are supported and encouraged to really explore new and exciting areas within the healthcare space. It offers an opportunity to study both tangible and theoretical problems in health care while bringing together people from diverse experience and backgrounds, incorporating a variety of perspectives. This approach, I think, really supports that goal of thinking critically about the world around us. This will be an important skill in any future job and this program will provide you with the building blocks to do so.

Fun Fact

Katherine has developed a passion for cooking. One of her favourite ways to spend her off time is learning and experimenting in the kitchen.