Mohawk places second at St. Joseph’s Healthcare event
On December 4, 2024, Mohawk College proudly participated in the Better Together: Sharing Experiences and Empowering Voices event hosted by St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. The event, which celebrated collaboration between patients, families, and healthcare professionals, was an important opportunity to showcase Mohawk College's ongoing efforts to integrate patient and family voices into its academic programming.
Mohawk was invited to attend by the St. Joseph’s event committee - composed of patients, family advisors, and staff - who reviewed and selected the college’s abstract submission among a pool of applicants. The event featured a range of activities including networking, poster presentations and an award ceremony recognizing exceptional contributions to patient partnerships.
Mohawk’s poster presentation, titled Integrating Patients’ and Families’ Voices, Choices, and Representation in the Classroom: The Impact of Mohawk College's Patient Partnership Initiative (PDF), was presented by Laura Thomas (Associate Dean, Medical Imaging & Academic Director of the Centre for Integrated and Advanced Medical Imaging), Sharon Baptist (Accreditation and Program Review Specialist), and Erin Slywchuk (Project Specialist, Academic Initiatives). The poster highlighted the college's innovative Patient Partnership Program, which aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice, enriching students' understanding of patient care from the perspective of those directly affected by it.
Through this initiative, Mohawk College is developing opportunities for patients and families to share their experiences and insights in a variety of educational settings. To date, the college has hosted two Patient Engagement Lunch & Learn sessions for students in programs across Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography, Cardiovascular Technology and Pharmacy Technician. The events featured panels of patient speakers who shared their personal healthcare experiences, followed by an interactive Q&A session.
The outcome of the Patient Partnership Program has been overwhelmingly positive. The Lunch & Learn sessions have fostered meaningful dialogue between students, faculty, and patient partners, significantly raising awareness of the importance of empathy and patient-centered care. Students have reported a deeper empathy for patients' experiences, and many have requested additional opportunities to engage with patients and caregivers throughout the semester.
The feedback from both students and patient partners has been instrumental in shaping the direction of the program. Some of the key lessons learned include the value of personal reflection and the desire for more flexible and inclusive engagement opportunities.
The team was honored to be joined by John Baptist, a valued patient partner, who shared his insights as a guest speaker at Mohawk’s second Lunch & Learn event. He explained how sharing his personal story was a meaningful way to connect with future healthcare professionals, helping them gain a deeper understanding of the challenges patients face.
The event concluded with an award ceremony, where posters were evaluated based on three criteria: level of patient and family partnership, project outcomes, and design of the poster. Mohawk College was proud to receive second-place for Posters Awarded with Distinction, recognizing their work done in partnership with patients and families.
Looking ahead, Mohawk is committed to expanding opportunities for collaboration with patients and caregivers in our academic programs. Next steps include exploring new areas for involvement and enhancing feedback processes to drive continuous improvement. By strengthening these partnerships, we aim to create a more inclusive, patient-centered learning environment that benefits both students and patients.
If you or someone you know is a patient or family caregiver interested in sharing their experience, we encourage you to learn more about the program on the Patient Partnership webpage.