Making Lives Better, Creating a Legacy in Life and Health Sciences Part 1

This is part 1 of a two-part interview with Shanil Ebrahim. Shanil is a Partner and the Life Sciences and Healthcare Consulting Leader at Deloitte Canada. He has a role as an Assistant Professor at McMaster University in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI). He also serves on several boards for non-profit organizations - Wellesley Residences Central Inc. (Chair) and Children's Treatment Network.

Shanil has Post-Doctoral Fellowships from Stanford University and McMaster University. He has a Doctorate in Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Epidemiology from McMaster University, a dual Master of Science (MSc) in Medical Science and Bioethics both from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Psychology from York University. 

In this episode, Shanil takes us through his earlier years. He reflects on when he and his family immigrated from Saudi Arabia landing in the Toronto area. He talks about how he adjusted and overcame some trials and tribulations that he had encountered.

In doing so he talks about fitting in and discovering his path. He talks about role models, family, and friends, and how they influenced him. There is a discussion on self-reflection and how Shanil concluded that his interests and passion were in health sciences.

He talks about his early experiences in attending university for his undergraduate studies and how they were not favorable in the early years, and in doing so he came about to change institutions and his major as well. This then leads to a good conversation in regards to taking the psychology and kinesiology route for healthcare as opposed to the more traditional trajectory of biology.

There is an informative dialogue regarding psychology and the career path a person can take.  There is good advice as Shanil provides his experiences working as a research associate which then steered him into doing his joint masters in Bioethics and Medical Science and what this entails is discussed. 

This segment ends with how Shanil comes to the conclusion that pursuing a career in research was more his calling after running clinical trials in a mental health center, and why he was leaning towards doing a doctorate in Clinical Epidemiology.

This interview will benefit anyone interested in a career in any aspect of health science or health care as it does provide the many avenues that a person can pursue. In conjunction, there is an inside look at some segments of health care and how they function. This interview will also appeal to anyone interested in research as this is discussed as well. This is an informative, thought-provoking, and inspirational interview.