Alumni Spotlight: Safia Fakim

OVERVIEW

Name and Designation:

Safia Fakim, BSc (Hons), MPH, PMP

Position/Employer:

Bilingual Health Planning Officer (Mental Health, Primary Care and Virtual Care), Entité 4 – Planification des services de santé en français

MPH Class of 2018

Practicum Placement:

World Health Organization

Interests:

Health Equity, Virtual Care, Global Health

What was your background before entering the program?

Before entering the MPH program, I completed my undergraduate degree at Queen’s University, specializing in Life Sciences (Biomedical Sciences). I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in health care and throughout my undergrad, I had the opportunity to work as a summer student in different health care settings, including the Mississauga Halton Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), Les Centres d’Accueil Héritage and the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto.

What has been your journey post-graduation?

After graduating from the MPH program, I worked as a Research Assistant at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, specifically within the North American Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. I assisted on the completion of two rapid reviews on province-wide services and on accountable care organizations. I was then hired at March of Dimes Canada (MODC) as a Coordinator, Community Navigation and Outreach for the After Stroke Program, where I supported stroke survivors and their caregivers to maximize their independence, personal empowerment and community participation. Working at MODC was a great experience as it allowed me to meet and learn from other Western MPH Alumni.

I am currently a Bilingual Health Planning Officer at Entité 4, one of the 6 French Language Health Planning Entities across Ontario. I have been in this role for over a year and I am responsible for the mental health, primary care and virtual care portfolios. This position has exposed me to the adversities faced by our Francophone communities. Since the beginning of this pandemic, I have been collaborating with Ontario Health (Ontario Telemedicine Network) to reduce inequities and increase access to virtual care for Francophones. I also support the newly created Ontario Health Teams in my region which allows me to advocate for Franco-Ontarians.

What was your favourite MPH class, and why?

My favourite MPH class was Sustaining Environmental Health as it allowed me to increase my understanding of the influence and impact of environmental factors, such as biological, physical and chemical factors, on the health of communities.

This course widened my perspective on health as it highlighted relevant global issues, including the West African Ebola virus epidemic. I learned how this health event is thought to have begun through spillover events. I realized the impact of the social determinants of health, such as one's environment and education level, in containing such viruses.

Currently during the development of this pandemic, as a public health professional, I continue to experience the teachings of this course.

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LinkedIn: Safia Fakim

Twitter: @SafiaFakim

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