Most students at Oxford College have to wait until the end o...

Farah Jafri (Dental Hygiene) and Sheeraz Naqvi (Pharmaceutical Manufacturing)

Most students at Oxford College have to wait until the end of the day to see their partners, but for Farah Jafri and Sheeraz Naqvi, they just need to find a break in between classes.

Farah and Sheeraz, married in 2007 are now both students at Oxford College, attending the Dental Hygiene and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing programs.

“I love it!” says Farah “We never got to see each other before because of work and now we get to be with each other.” Farah entered the Dental Hygiene program in the beginning of this year. “I was looking for a profession and this program was very interesting,” she said. Meanwhile, Sheeraz, a self-confessed “technical guy” was also looking for his own career, and after hearing about Farah talk about the college, decided to visit for himself. A couple of days later, Sheeraz enrolled into the pharmaceutical program.

The couple acknowledges that attending college together has been a struggle, both financially and with spending time with their two children, who need to be in daycare.

Sheeraz needs to work after classes and does not return home until midnight on most days. Despite this they remain confident that they made the right choice in attending college. “We are doing this for our children and a better life,” they said.

If you asked the faculty members at Oxford College to name o...

Heba Elhawi (Dental Hygiene)

If you asked the faculty members at Oxford College to name one of the more memorable students they ever had, it is likely that many would answer Heba Elhawi. The spirited dental hygiene student was one known as outgoing and fun-loving, and at the same time dedicated to learning her craft.

“I knew this was the right field for me,” said Heba in a recent visit back to Oxford College. Becoming a dental hygienist meant for her the “opportunity to be independent, work with your own patients.”

She entered the college after working three years as a dental assistant. The program was by no means a breeze - she had to repeat the third semester, but Heba never thought of leaving. In June 2009 she graduated from the program and became a dental hygienist.

Since then Heba has been working in the Toronto-area, using her Oxford training and dental connections to find work. She notes that at the beginning, new dental hygienists will probably only be able to find work on Saturdays or a couple nights a week. She also advises joining a temp agency or using Oxford College’s Career Centre to help find work.

The 23-year-old has also started managing a dental office in Toronto, which Heba believes is going to be good experience for starting her own practice. “It’s wrong to think that you are a dental hygienists and just do hygiene,” she advises.

Faced with a twelve year wait to get into a dental hygiene s...

Tammy Hanas (Dental Hygiene)

Faced with a twelve year wait to get into a dental hygiene school in Saskatchewan, Tammy Hanas decided to pack up and move to Toronto, where she attended Oxford College’s program. “I’m a city girl at heart,” says Tammy, so it wasn’t hard to adjust.”

Tammy graduated from Oxford in August 2010, and is now planning on practicing dental hygiene in Toronto for a few years before heading back west.

The 28 year old had four years of experience as a Dental Assistant, which helped Tammy cope with the demands of clinic, but it was the part of the program she loved the most, as it allowed her to interact with real patients and “get to focus on what you are here for.”

Tammy advises current students to “stay focused - especially with the points in clinic, but the end will come and you will graduate.”

I came to Canada in 2005 with my husband and two small child...

Iliana Silva LLinas (Dental Hygiene)

I came to Canada in 2005 with my husband and two small children for a new start in life. This was a huge transitional change for my family and myself. I decided to attend the dental hygiene program to provide a better life for my family. In the beginning of the program I was thinking that I could not make it as English is my second language. The program was very challenging. Theory courses were difficult for me, and I had to spend extra time translating words from English to Spanish in order to understand what was being taught.

Knowing that I was doing this for myself, husband, and children gave me the strength within to push through the program to successfully complete the dental hygiene course here at Oxford college. My experience here has been difficult, but it has made me a stronger person and confident in my English, dental knowledge, and clinical skills. When you put your mind to something nothing is impossible. I gave all my effort, dedication, time and hard work and it has really paid off so now I can see the result. I would like to say thank you to Oxford College and all the instructors for helping me to become the person I wanted to be when I entered the program.

Going through a college program like dental hygiene can be a...

Acrasia Robbins (Dental Hygiene)

Going through a college program like dental hygiene can be a challenging experience, and sometimes they have unexpected obstacles. This was the case with Acrasia Robbins, who has used her determination and drive to overcome a series of medical issues over the last several months, including having to spend time in hospital.

Acrasia says that staying focused on the goal of graduating helped her through some difficult times. “It’s a hard, hard program, and you cannot give up,” she says.

Acrasia, a native of Brantford, Ontario, wanted to become a dental hygienist, because she saw this to be a stable, well-paying profession, and that she “really enjoyed helping people.”

Although it took her an extra semester to complete her studies at Oxford, Acrasia is now poised to graduate this month. The 29 year-old plans to start working with Dentists without Borders, a non-profit organization that provides oral health services in developing places around the world.

Acrasia gives the following advice to students starting the dental hygiene program: “Stay focused, try not to get involved in the the negativity (obstacles, self-doubt) and remain hopeful. Don’t doubt yourself!”

For more information about Dentists without Borders, go to:www.dentistswithoutborders.org

Outside her office in downtown Toronto, Juela Sejdo reflects...

Juela Sejdo, Clinical Research Outside her office in downtown Toronto, Juela Sejdo reflects on her last few years training to become a Clinical Research Associate, and her work now with the TARget Kids project. Like many of her fellow CRA graduates, Juela said she is “extremely happy” with how her efforts at obtaining an education have led to full-time work. Juela came to Canada in 2006 after finishing her medical residency in her native Albania. Like many International Medical Graduates, Juela learned that her credentials and training were not adequate to become a physician in this country. After considering other programs, Juela decided on enrolling in Oxford College’s Clinical Research program, as she “wanted to see myself doing something in my field.” Before entering the program, Juela contacted some of the program’s first graduates and learned about the opportunities by going to Oxford, including the chance to have a placement at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). She insisted on getting a placement at that hospital, where she spent four months. “You don’t do big things,” said Juela, “but is a great start.” From there she moved onto further work, and has been employed fulltime since November 2010 in the TARget Kids project, which is collecting evidence on common nutrition and health problems affecting urban Canadian children.

I am writing this letter to thank Oxford College and especia...

Marina K. I am writing this letter to thank Oxford College and especially Dr Nicholas for the knowledge and skills that I have gained during the program. I am an International Medical Graduate from Belarus and as many other immigrants came to Canada for a better future.  In order to get back to the Health Care Field, I enrolled in the Clinical Research Program at Oxford College.  During the program I’ve learnt all the different aspects about clinical trials and that material helps me to perform on a high level these days at my work place. The college provided all students, including me, with excellent placements, which turned into my first job, and I am so happy and proud to be a part of a SickKids Hospital team now. I would definitely recommend the Oxford Clinical Research program to all International Medical Graduates because it is an excellent bridge from your experience in the past to a new and exciting future.

Having taken the Oxford College Clinical Research program fo...

Sandra G. Having taken the Oxford College Clinical Research program for a year I would highly recommend it for all those interested in a research career. The program offers an excellent syllabus with 28 courses from basic medical subjects such as Anatomy and Principles of Molecular Genetics to Drug Development, Ethics and Applications to Regulatory Bodies.  The program also explores different aspects of research including community research programs and translation to primary care issues; it helped me to acquire a solid knowledge and a broad education, essential for success in this field. One important component of the program was that it gave me back confidence and hope.  During my daily classes there was always time for discussions and interaction with classmates and the professor, in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.  The friendly settings were a clear asset of the program.  As a result my academic performance was excellent and my self-confidence improved steadily along with the many opportunities I was given to present diverse topics; presentations were always held to the highest professional standards. The placement component of the program gave me the opportunity to be assigned to a prestigious academic environment.  I had the fortune of doing my placement at the Women College Research Institute, affiliated with the University of Toronto.  During my placement I attended research and medical rounds, conferences and discussions all while working and gaining practical experience toward my goal of becoming a research coordinator.  I am excited and grateful for the chance that the Oxford program has given me and I would strongly recommend it.

I want to thank Oxford College and especially Dr Nicholas wh...

Adriana R. I want to thank Oxford College and especially Dr Nicholas who worked arduously with us during the clinical research program.  I want to praise the superior design of the program; it is showing great results as many foreign health professionals can testify having been accepted to good job positions in Ontario. The didactic and clinical content of the program and the quality of the presentations are all excellent; the delivery of the topics is really clear and effective.  The material contains exactly what we need to know to work as a Clinical Research Associate or as a Coordinator. My goal as an International Medical Graduate was to find some activity that allowed me to work close to, or within a medical environment where I could make use of my medical knowledge.  My dream came true and I can say that you made an important contribution to my achievements; without you assistance I do not think I would have succeeded in finding my excellent job position at the WCRI, working as I am with experts in the Genetics of Breast Cancer. I would like to offer my availability to the College if you should consider that my experience may be of value to others