More healthcare specialists, better care for British Columbians

New investments in the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) for sonography and cardiovascular perfusion programs will mean more graduates and better health care for people in British Columbia. “Students, healthcare workers and patients have been calling on government to increase sonography training across the province for years, and we are answering that call with … Read more

From patient to healthcare professional: BCIT student Ashley Verokosky shares her journey

Ashley Verokosky was excited to begin studying Medical Radiography at BCIT. But before she could start, she experienced a health scare that changed everything. “Prior to getting accepted into the program,” recalls Ashley, “I had a car accident while having a seizure. And a nurse witnessed it and told me it was a seizure … … Read more

World Health Day: 9 ways BCIT made health a top priority

BCIT World Health Day

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), unsafe and low-quality health care severely impact lives and costs the world trillions of dollars every year. As an educational institution that offers a depth and breadth of health-related programs and research, we have an important role in improving the quality and safety of health services in our … Read more

Norwegian Guests Inspired by Visiting Forensic Health Science at BCIT

Last month, BCIT’s Forensic Health Sciences program was pleased to host a delegation from a sexual assault centre in Vestfold County, Norway. This is the only centre in Norway utilizing forensic nursing services. However, there is no systematic higher academic education in the field of forensic health sciences in the country. Linda Molgaard Gustavsen, a … Read more

Exposing human trafficking in Canada: How this BCIT alumna is mobilizing the healthcare sector to help victims

BCIT Forensic Health Sciences Instructor Tara Wilkie

Several years ago, Tara Wilkie, a BCIT Nursing alumna and Instructor for Forensic Health Sciences, traveled to northern Thailand to help establish a medical clinic for tribal children who were victims of sex trafficking. The number of victims and children at risk shocked her. “I remember feeling an extreme sense of relief when I landed … Read more

The first graduating classes of BCIT’s Environmental Health program reunite after 50 years

Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon. The child-size electric oven was the popular toy. Tie-dye fashion was the rage. 1969 had many distinctions. For a certain group of people, it marked the year they became the first graduating class of BCIT’s Public Health Inspection (now Environmental Health Public Inspection) program. On … Read more

BCIT collaborates with Gundersen Health to advance energy independence

Gundersen Health is a physician-led, not-for-profit healthcare system based in Wisconsin. In 2014, it achieved 100 percent energy independence—no small feat in a system with six hospitals (including a teaching hospital with 325 beds and a Level II trauma centre), and more than 50 clinics. With 1 billion dollars in annual revenues, and more than 7,000 … Read more

High school students get a sneak peek at BCIT health programs

High school students are logging some impressive hours in BCIT health labs. The Burnaby School District has partnered with the BCIT School of Health Sciences to expose students to a wide range of career paths in the industry. Over eight months, grade 11 and 12 students enrolled in the District’s Industry Connect Health Sciences Program … Read more

Health-care students at BCIT get new $78.3M centre

For Immediate Release, Ministry of Advanced Education, 2017AVED0034-000891 The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) will be home to a new Health Sciences Centre for Advanced Simulation (HSCAS) that will educate and train future health care professionals to meet the growing demands of British Columbian families. The Ministry of Advanced Education is providing $66.6 million and BCIT … Read more

Medical assistance in dying: How Vancouver Coastal Health is working with changes to Canada’s criminal code

The BCIT School of Health Sciences and the BCIT Student Association were pleased to welcome Darren Kopetsky, Regional Director of Client Relations & Risk Management for Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) to the BCIT Burnaby Campus on February 20th as our second monthly power hour event. Kopetsky’s presentation on Medical Assistance in Dying was a timely topic … Read more