Krista Sigurdson

2004 Port McNeill, B.C.

Krista Sigurdson was a student at the UBC School of Social Work in 2004 when she did an IRPbc placement in Port McNeill, B.C.  Prior to her time with IRPbc, Krista had some experience working with other health disciplines as part of a previous placement for a non-profit AIDS organization. Not only were her interprofessional opportunities deepened during her IRPbc experience by working with students in other disciplines, she also had the benefit of working under preceptors from a variety of disciplines as well. “In living with other students we were able to exchange ideas and get to know each other. We had a unique vantage point to observe and discuss how our various professions worked together and how they might work better together to best serve our patients. I really enjoyed working under the supervision of a preceptor from my own profession, but also with the additional guidance and support from preceptors from other professions. This enabled me to view the same clinical situation from multiple professional standpoints and to broaden my skills accordingly.”

Working in a remote community brings with it unique challenges in that there is very often less access to health care services overall (in particular specialized services), there is less access to non-profit health care organizations, there is limited transportation in areas that are often more spread out and it can be difficult to recruit and retain health care professionals. “In spite of these challenges, health care in rural communities benefits from a close-knit almost familial atmosphere and strong cultural and community ties. I see IRPbc as addressing these challenges by bringing future health workers together to rural communities for the purposes of not only understanding the issues they face but also learning how to serve smaller communities through interprofessional practice.”

While no longer in the social work field, Krista is currently pursuing a PhD in medical sociology. “I saw IRPbc as an opportunity to live and work with students in other disciplines in an area that I wasn’t familiar with. This helped to spark my curiosity about how health care is delivered in numerous geographic communities across the globe. I still find myself working amongst numerous health professions and related disciplines from nursing and pharmacy to sociology, anthropology and women's studies. I highly recommend IRPbc to other students as a way to broaden your perspective.”

“Are you a former IRPbc student?  If so, email Kathy at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  and let us know what you’re doing now. We look forward to hearing from you!”