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 I never thought I’d land my second Co-op work term at BC Women’s Hospital as a Political Science student, and it turned out to be surprisingly life-changing for me. So, you might be wondering — How did I ended up there and how can a Political Science student contribute meaningfully to a clinical health research lab? Well, as it turns out, I knew a lot more than I gave myself credit for.

Back in the fall term of 2024, I was doing a stress-induced late night scroll on MyExperience and going over Co-op job postings like I usually do, half-hoping to find something vaguely interesting, when I stumbled upon a research assistant position with a Faculty of Health Sciences lab that was running a project out of BC Women’s Hospital. I was intrigued—I had always wanted to work in research but still I thought, “No way I could get this position�. The words ‘community-based’ and ‘women-centered’ in the job description jumped out at me and I felt there was some correlation to my experiences, so I took the leap and applied. To my surprise, I got an interview offer!

A key but often overlooked tip: if you’ve been invited to interview, you’re already considered qualified—so focus on showing you're the right fit, not proving your qualifications. Interviews are primarily an opportunity for employers to gauge your personality and for you to show how well you can fit in with their team. I was interviewed by Dr. Elizabeth King and the BCC3 Research Coordinator (whose name I won’t disclose for privacy reasons), who later became my supervisors. I was friendly, confident and enthusiastic, making sure to mention that I read their research publications and how willing I was to learn.

Even when I received the job offer, I still couldn’t believe I got this position over STEM students. I later asked my supervisor why they picked me to which they revealed the interview panel was intrigued by my work with a Global South diaspora zine-making workshop organized by SFU’s School for International Studies! I never expected this particular project to make me stand out, but it proves how skills and experiences are transferrable, and it really falls onto you to keep yourself open-minded about any opportunity that intrigues you!

The people that make up the BCC3 project show an honest and dedicated commitment towards advocating for and giving back to the communities. My Co-op work term has taught me a lot about how to ethically conduct research and how knowledge systems can be used to support communities whose voices are essential to creating meaningful change. I have always been mindful of the disconnect that can arise when scholars remain in their academic bubbles and lose a holistic understanding of those outside of academia. This Co-op work term has left me with deeper self-reflection and helped ground my passion for community development and my appreciation for the importance of research communities.

I have learnt that I need to continue pushing myself by to not get discouraged and to show up for myself and for others in order to actualize my personal and career dreams. And of course, seeing so many successful, self-fulfilled women who are passionate about their careers also filled me with so much hope for my own future.

Thank you for sticking around and reading about my super awesome work term with the ! I hope you, as readers, are also able to find equally (or even more) wonderful opportunities through the Co-op program!