Ashley Heaslip
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
I decided to pursue my doctoral studies because of the patients that I was working with during my medical training. Many of these patients would ask questions for which I had few answers and for which the research literature was lacking. It is my hope that my doctoral work will translate in to contributions to clinical care, as well as to how we, as a society, understand the health care needs of our aging population.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
Studying at UBC has meant being in a world-class university in a world-class city – and being close to home! It is the perfect mixture of exceptional mentors, strong research supports, and the Pacific Ocean!
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
The Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Program offers a rich learning environment where scholars from many diverse backgrounds gather around the same table to dialogue, to challenge one another, and to creatively imagine new ways of seeing problems. It is this rich, diverse environment that drew me in and that I have found so intriguing.
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
The best surprise for me about both UBC and Vancouver is the strong cycling culture – it’s been so wonderful to cycle up to campus, to meet others along the way to share a conversation with while riding, and to know that there are so many advocates in Vancouver working to encourage and support biking!
What aspect of your graduate program do you enjoy the most or are looking forward to with the greatest curiosity?
I am deeply curious about the diverse backgrounds and research interests of students within the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Program. I always learn something new from my conversation with colleagues about the program because their research interests may be vastly different from my own. It makes for rich and creative conversations!