Ailin Jalili

My thesis

The pre-hospital phase within emergency medical care is a critical period, starting from the moment an emergency health event is recognized until arrival at an emergency department; encompassing interactions with EMS personnel and other involved individuals. This period falls within the "golden hour," which is the first 60 minutes following a traumatic injury or the recognition of a critical health event such as a stroke. During the golden hour, rapid intervention has the highest probability of saving a patient's life and/or preventing long-term negative health outcomes. Research currently shows disparities in emergency care outcomes and experiences across different social identities. Immigrants encounter an increased number of systemic barriers, while women experience longer delays in care and a higher in-hospital mortality rate for certain health events. 

My thesis explores the experiences of racialized immigrant women in the pre-hospital phase of emergency care. The purpose of my research is to examine how these intersecting social factors and identities shape lived experiences and how interactions with EMS personnel are associated with differences in psychological responses. Anticipated implications are to contribute to a better understanding of diverse communities' experiences in the pre-hospital phase, enabling future larger-scale studies in this field and opening the possibility of policy change for EMS personnel training and emergency care.

My time in the School of Public Health Sciences (SPHS)

My time as a master's student in SPHS taught me so much about working collaboratively, and how to contribute meaningfully to the causes that I care about. Alongside my thesis, one notable project that I undertook was co-founding the H.E.R. Collective alongside several of my dedicated cohort members, and now close friends. This project continues to teach me how to connect my academic learnings with the community — bridging this gap feels incredibly meaningful. As a team, we create educational workshops throughout the KW and GTA regions, combining art, discussion, and research dissemination to engage a growing community of people dedicated to advancing health knowledge and research focused on women and gender-diverse individuals.

Alongside this project, I am incredibly grateful for the experiences that I have gained through my time here. I've learned how to engage meaningfully with research, develop interpersonal skills that have enabled me to have incredibly memorable connections, and find meaning and enjoyment throughout the growth, achievement, and setback cycle.

I think most of all, I'm deeply appreciative for the incredible friendships and community that I have found, and all of the mentorship and support I've received along the way.