News Article

CNA expands on experiential learning while crossing cultures


3/25/2010 10:54:40 AM


Jill Penton, left, from Joe Batt’s Arm, and Samantha Turnbull, from Port Hope Simpson, Labrador, are currently both completing a required clinical placement for the final and third year of their Medical Radiography program at hospitals in St. John’s. They will also have the opportunity to spend two weeks at hospitals in Qatar while they take part in a clinical exchange program.

College of the North Atlantic (CNA) is following up two years of successful pilot student exchange with its campus in Qatar by formalizing a series of exchange programs that will see 36 students travel this spring and summer.
The School of Health Sciences Student Exchange sets the initiative in motion today as two of CNA’s students depart for Qatar.

Two Medical Radiography students, Jill Penton and Samantha Turnbull, are completing their third and last year of the program and have the opportunity to spend a two-week clinical placement at hospitals in Doha, Qatar.

“I was ecstatic when I received the call saying I was chosen. I expect to learn a lot from this… it will be interesting to spend time in the hospital there,” says Turnbull.

“I really enjoy the program very much, especially the clinical portion… it allows you to experience the clinical environment hands-on.”

Jane Gamberg is Dean of Health Sciences at CNA. She says one of the most exciting aspects of this opportunity is for students to compare health standards in a different part of the world.

“They get to travel to another country and compare technology, doctor-patient dynamics, treatments… they can really compare standards... there is some very good practice in both places. And they can actually bring back ideas here to our health care environment. It’s powerful stuff in many ways,” says Gamberg.

“Also, it’ll give them great material for presentations. They’d very rapidly get accepted for conference presentations with this type of experience.”

Turnbull and Penton’s counterparts, two Medical Radiography students from CNA’s campus in the Middle East – College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q) – will come to Prince Philip Drive campus May 17 to complete their two-week clinical at hospitals in St. John’s.

At the same time, two students from Respiratory Therapy programs at each campus will take part in a true exchange, completing a two-week clinical placement at each other’s campuses starting May 17. The CNA-Q students will come to St. John’s at a time when they can take advantage of the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists conference May 13-16, after which they begin their two-week placement.

Christine Bolan is Dean of Health Sciences at CNA-Q and a member of the CNA-Q team that chose the value-added timing for the exchange.

“The CNA-Q Respiratory Therapy students will register as students and join the conference as any other participant. Attending conferences provides for networking and exposure to scholars in the field and an opportunity to hear from professionals on a broad spectrum of emerging research and standards,” says Bolan.

“This is the only conference in Canada that focuses solely on the Respiratory Therapy profession and therefore provides a unique opportunity to reach the anticipated 400 or more participants in attendance.”

In her role as Coordinator of International Education at CNA-Q, Laura Cowan says she is working with the college to create a complete experience for students – one where they find intercultural development with these international education experiences.

“These programs will encourage student development and growth in cultural awareness, leadership skills, tolerance… and maturity.”

And as she gets ready to embark on her adventure in the Middle East, Medical Radiography student Jill Penton couldn’t agree more.

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime, to be able to experience the lifestyle in Qatar and to take part in their healthcare system in a two-week clinical. To live in and learn about a different culture is something I had always hoped to accomplish,” says Penton.

“I know it will be a life-changing experience that will stay with me forever and one that I will proudly share when I return.”

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Media contact:

Tanya Alexander
Public Relations Specialist, Qatar Project
College of the North Atlantic
709.643.0811
Tanya.alexander@cna.nl.ca


Or

Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709.643.7938
Roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca