Putting people at the heart of health care
Inspired by her own experiences with injury, Jashmira Premkumar is building a patient‑centered career rooted in movement, recovery and human connection.
Jashmira Premkumar, a second‑year Health Sciences student, reflects on transitioning from a full course load to full‑time work as a Student Trainer, reshaping her routine, motivation and view of health care environments.
Jashmira’s co-op journey
Student Trainer, Schlegel Villages, Burlington, ON
Jashmira provided kinesiology therapy through one-on-one training and group classes at a senior home, supporting residents with arthritis, joint pain, bone health and mobility limitations. She collaborated with residents to set personalized goals and guided them through targeted exercises.
Q&A with Jashmira
What impacts has your co-op experience had on you so far?
“Helping the residents and seeing how they feel after the exercises. Seeing their progression and how much they enjoy the exercises has been enlightening. Over time I stopped seeing residents as just clients and began to understand them as individuals with their own stories, challenges and motivations.
This experience shifted my perspective and made me more aware of how many factors, beyond physical health, contribute to their pain, progress and drive. It changed the way I interacted with them and allowed me to be more empathetic and present in my care. I found myself resonating with their journeys, as I had gone through a similar process after being injured, which made the experience more impactful.”
What impacts has your co-op experience had on you so far?
“Helping the residents and seeing how they feel after the exercises. Seeing their progression and how much they enjoy the exercises has been enlightening. Over time I stopped seeing residents as just clients and began to understand them as individuals with their own stories, challenges and motivations. This experience shifted my perspective and made me more aware of how many factors, beyond physical health, contribute to their pain, progress and drive. It changed the way I interacted with them and allowed me to be more empathetic and present in my care. I found myself resonating with their journeys, as I had gone through a similar process after being injured, which made the experience more impactful.”
How have you dealt with the challenges of co-op?
“The hardest challenge was adjusting from a full course load and going to classes every day to going to my nine-to-five job. It’s easy to say you can structure your day around working and use your free time to do all these things after work. I wanted to keep myself accountable and go to the gym after work instead of just going home and sleeping for the rest of my day. However, I had become increasingly tired after my workday and it was hard to build my motivation back up, especially since I was no longer surrounded by my friends and family.”
"What helped me stay motivated was being connected with all my friends who didn't have co-op. I would call, FaceTime or send them messages to stay in the loop of their lives and avoid isolating myself too much. Additionally, I avoided coming straight home after work as I knew I wasn’t leaving my house once I got there. I developed a routine to go straight to the gym after work and kept myself accountable.”
Why did you choose to study Health Sciences at Waterloo?
“In terms of my program, I liked biology and chemistry in high school, even though I wasn't the greatest at it. I thought Health Sciences was the greatest way for me to get the best of both social and hard sciences while getting the opportunity to connect with people. When it came to my lifelong career, I knew it couldn’t be boring and I couldn’t see myself doing the same thing on a daily basis. I knew a patient-centered job would bring variety and I wouldn’t be facing the same scene every day.”
How did you stand out from other students applying for the same jobs?
“My previous experiences definitely played a part in making me stand out. However, I believe what truly made a difference was the way I approached the interview itself, treating it as a genuine conversation. While walking the interviewers through my thought process, I was honest about where my knowledge fell short and where my interests laid.”
“I would also do research into the company beforehand. I made sure I understood what the company's values and goals were so that during my interview, I could ask them questions relating to the company. I showed genuine interest and knowledge about its founder and origin, making me stand out.”
How has co-op helped you with your career goals?
“Co-op allowed me to view different careers in health care while helping me understand what fields I don't want to go into. Health care is so broad and there's many different branches to explore. I gained a better understanding of myself and my abilities through my co-op experience.”
“Plus, because I worked in a senior home, I got to see how people from different disciplines and positions all come together to make the big picture work. This allowed me to shadow a variety of different people, which helped me get an idea of more things I could potentially pursue.”
What's next for you?
“I want to go into research and aspire to go into medicine at some point. I hope to build a diverse portfolio by exploring a range of fields, including but not limited to health.”
“For now, I want to go into the back end of things to improve my technical agility and my data literacy skills. I eventually hope to get a position in research, medicine or even at a hospital.”