Transforming healthcare with AI as a Legal Studies student: how to absorb knowledge like a sponge
Kennedy Taylor (she/her), a fourth-year Arts and Business student majoring in Legal Studies, is the Faculty of Arts Co-op Student of the Year! She received this award in recognition of her dedication and innovative work integrating AI into health care at Coeus Health.
Kennedy reflects on her passion for innovation, her pivotal role in advancing AI-driven solutions and how her co-op experience deepened her understanding of the tech industry.
At Coeus Health, Kennedy’s role focused on marketing and pilot program co-ordination, aiding with the creation of innovative health care solutions.
She managed the marketing department where she was responsible for overseeing materials, website content and external communications with pilot sites. She worked closely with multiple health care systems to integrate an AI chatbot into patient care.
Taking every opportunity to contribute, she played a key role in facilitating partnerships and ensuring seamless communication between stakeholders. She also led initiatives to improve patient engagement, streamlined external communications and strengthened the company’s outreach efforts.
This helped to alleviate strain on the healthcare system while ensuring patients remained informed and supported throughout their care journey.
Q & A with Kennedy
What drew you to Coeus Health?
“I did not picture myself working in the health or tech field when I started my degree, but I think that the beauty of co-op is that you get the opportunity to try all of these unique jobs that you never even thought you would.”
“What drew me to Coeus Health is how innovative they are. I had never dealt with anything like their products as a legal studies student.”
“With technology, AI and chatbots becoming so much more relevant in these years, I thought, ‘why not?’ I might as well learn while I have the opportunity.”
What is your proudest accomplishment during this work term?
“That I was able to maintain and openly communicate with all the pilot sites and ambulatory health clinics.”
“I was their main point of contact, so it was up to me to ensure that they had everything they needed. And I'm proud that I accomplished that goal and ensured things went smoothly.”
How have you been able to apply what you learned in your academic courses to your work term?
“During school terms, you learn a lot of valuable transferable skills. You learn how to hold and carry yourself on top of all the knowledge you gain in the classroom but co-op is where you're able to practically apply those skills. So, it's up to you to figure out what you already know and what you need to know.”
“Make the most of your time. You will be going back and forth between co-op sequences and work sequences. Which allows you to learn, apply concepts and then go back to the classroom and think, 'Okay, what else do I need to learn?'" And that's really valuable.”
How would you define purpose?
“I would define purpose as feeling like you truly are making a difference. I think that's what gives me purpose at least. Helping people is the biggest motivation for me.”
“I don't want to say the work at Coeus Health helped me find my purpose. I think that’s something that’s going to be ever-changing for me, something I’ll always be chasing, but I think that the work that I did there was very purposeful. The work and effort that I put in really made a difference.”
Why did you choose the University of Waterloo?
“I grew up in Waterloo my whole life, so choosing Waterloo was the obvious choice.”
“It’s not hard to see the excellence, personality and standards the university has.”
“What drew me to the actual school was their renowned co-op program.”
“I thought, ‘That’s the place I want to be,’ because I knew the opportunities it would provide me post-graduation would be far superior to just a regular program at another school.”
What does receiving the Co-op Student of the Year award mean to you?
“Receiving the Co-op Student of the Year award is extremely rewarding. I feel so honoured to be recognized in such a way, but I also view it as a catalyst for my future.”
“This is an amazing achievement, and I think it’s going to help me prosper and go far in the areas that I want to in my career.”
What is one piece of advice you would give to current co-op students?
“One thing I would say to current co-op students is: don’t be afraid.”
You’re never going to be in the same position again where you’re at a company for a short period and they want you to absorb everything. So do it. Be a sponge. Absorb everything you can and give it your all and I promise it will do you good.
What’s next for you? What are your next steps?
“That’s a hard question to answer right now and I don't really have a firm answer. I think that the tech industry is something that is really interesting to me now and I can see myself pursuing that area.”
“I think that the tech industry is something that is really interesting to me now. So, I see myself pursuing that area.”
“In terms of what I actually want to do. I'm not sure and I think that's okay.”