Hope McInnis: Bridging Science, Lived Experience and Advocacy on the Path to Medical School

 

Growing up in Glace Bay, Hope McInnis always knew Cape Breton University was where she belonged. As a high school student, she regularly attended CBU basketball games and came to see the campus as a familiar and welcoming place long before she enrolled. Now, as she prepares to graduate with a Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology, it’s also the place where she says she found her calling. Hope wants to become a doctor.

Currently part of a pre-med pathway at CBU, Hope is also an emerging scholar and an advocate for accessibility in healthcare and urban design. The pre-med program at CBU has connected her to the amazing faculty who support the intensive science studies that provide a strong foundation for medical school, including opportunities to engage in research.

Hope’s recent independent study, supervised by Dr. Sheryl Bourgaize, Assistant Professor of Biology, is connected to her personal experience. She explores how wheelchair users navigate crowded environments, a topic she says hasn’t received nearly enough attention, based on a scoping review of existing research.

“Navigating crowded and inaccessible environments is something I do on a daily basis,” Hope explains. “My lived experience inspired me to focus on wheelchair navigation for my review.”

The project, one of the first of its kind at CBU, builds on Hope’s personal insight and Dr. Bourgaize’s expertise in biomechanics and navigation. Together, they are contributing to a more inclusive understanding of movement and mobility. Hope’s research has the potential to inform urban planning, accessibility policy and healthcare infrastructure, especially in hospital design.

“I think by gaining a better understanding of how wheelchair users like me move in crowded environments, building codes could better reflect accessibility needs by incorporating this knowledge in the planning process,” says Hope. “I think this knowledge could also help healthcare so that the hospital itself can be more accessible as I feel like there’s room for improvement in accessibility in hospitals.”

Beyond the research component of her studies, Hope’s CBU experience has included everything from biology courses like human physiology and neurobiology, to fieldwork with ACAP – Cape Breton to plant trees. “I used a custom-made PVC device that made it possible to fully participate in this important tree planting project.”

Hope says she has been supported throughout her studies by CBU faculty, the Jennifer Keeping Centre and friends, including her best friend Jillian, who was always by her side in labs and lectures.

In addition to preparing for medical school by completing her BSc Biology, Hope has been accepted into the 16-month, post-degree Bachelor of Social Work program at CBU, which she plans to complete before moving on to medical school. Combining her BSc in Biology with a BSW will allow her to bring both scientific and social insight into her future career as a physician. This unique pathway reflects her commitment to holistic, compassionate care and her desire to understand the social determinants of health that shape patient experiences.

Hope describes her desire to become a doctor as one shaped by a lifelong relationship with the healthcare system and a desire to do things better.

“I’ve seen the good and the bad in healthcare,” Hope says. “I want to be the kind of doctor who listens, who explains things and who really understands the person behind the diagnosis.”

Now, with her sights set on the Cape Breton Medical Campus, Hope is currently studying for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

Hope embraced the support available through CBU’s Pre-Med Pathways, and we expect she will proudly apply her skills as she pursues new challenges on her academic journey!

To learn more about pre-med studies and related support at CBU, visit cbu.ca/academics/pre-med.