Some former Valley residents are taking advantage of a summer student opportunity that allows them to work in their home community and gain experience in their field of study. Discover Health Careers Manitoba offers term positions to students in the healthcare field to provide a hands-on experience in clinical, hospital or healthcare environments.
Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) offered 26 positions in the region in areas of pharmacy, primary care, mental health, therapy services, acute care, public health and nutrition. PMH and Shared Health cost share the initiative.
At the Primary Care Clinic in Swan River, two local students, Brittan Yaschyshyn and Abby Facundo, have been participants working through the initiative since May of this year.
“I grew up in the valley and love coming home every summer to my family and friends. My parents, Tom and Tracey, grew up here as well,” said Yaschyshyn. “After graduating in 2022 and moving to the city, I missed being in a small town and getting to participate in community events and groups that I had become so accustomed to.
“I study Midwifery at Mount Royal University in Calgary. I chose it after learning about its unique scope of practice and clinically based teaching style. After graduating, I will have spent over 24 months in practicums outside of the time spent in the classroom. I chose this area of healthcare because it is such an exciting and critical moment in people’s lives and I look forward to being able to support others through it.
“I moved to Swan River from the Philippines and have lived in the Valley since 2017,” said Facundo. “My parents are Ivy and Allan Facundo. My dad works at AG Shield in Benito and my mom works as a health care aide at the Swan Valley Lodge. I graduated from the Swan Valley Regional Secondary School in 2024. During my time in the valley, I enjoyed spending time at the lake, being with friends, and being part of the Filipino community.
“I’ve always loved taking care of others, especially my little cousins and great-grandparents, whether it was babysitting, helping with everyday tasks, or keeping them company. Additionally, I worked at the healthcare facility where my mom works, which gave me firsthand experience and opened the door to pursuing a career in healthcare.
“I’m currently studying for my Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Calgary,” said Facundo. “After I graduate, I plan to become a registered nurse and hope to work in labour and delivery or pediatrics.”
Yaschyshyn is a midwife student and has been working in the clinic’s front administration area. She has been attending to patient care, booking appointments, dealing with tasks and making specialist appointments. She has also been able to pair up with physicians and help with history and physicals for prenatal care, as well as update prenatal records and sit in on prenatal care with the physicians.
“My role this summer has been supporting the admin staff and working with the providers for prenatal and postpartum assessments,” said Yaschyshyn. “My learning experience so far has been exciting.
“When I started here three years ago, I hadn’t begun midwifery school yet and the doctors were filling me in on everything. This was super beneficial for me when I started in my program. Now I am grateful to feel like I can bring the skills I have learned at school and utilize them even when I’m on break. It keeps me fresh and brings a new perspective about working in rural areas.”
Facundo is a nursing student and has been shadowing the LPN at the clinic. She has been undertaking tasks like rooming patients, taking vitals and updating electronic medical records.
“This summer, I’m working in a vitals position where I’m responsible for taking patients’ vital signs,” said Facundo. “The role allows me to work with diverse people and collaborate with different healthcare professionals as part of the team.
“So far, this has been a really valuable learning experience. I’ve had the chance to see what different healthcare professionals do and how they work together, which is helping me expand my understanding of the various paths in healthcare. I’m trying to absorb as much as I can and keep my options open, especially with what I can apply to my future in nursing.”
Yaschyshyn and Facundo will complete their terms this month and return to university in the fall. Having this opportunity to work and learn in their home community has had so many benefits for both women as they return to school and consider their options for the future.
“This experience has brought me invaluable learning opportunities and I am so grateful for the pregnant people who have welcomed me into their care,” said Yaschyshyn. “Unfortunately, without a delivering hospital, a midwife couldn’t work in Swan River right now. However, this experience has brought me an appreciation for rural care and I do plan to practice in rural areas.”
“As of right now, I’m not entirely sure what the future holds, but I’m open to gaining experience in other communities as well,” said Facundo. “This experience has definitely made me appreciate the value of working in my home community, but I also want to explore different environments to continue learning and growing in my career.
“What I’ve enjoyed most about this experience is getting to shadow and talk to some of the nurses. It’s been really helpful to see what their roles look like day to day and to hear their perspectives and advice. It’s given me a clearer idea of what to expect in the profession and what kind of nurse I want to become.