Cohort of 2023
Hello! My name is Cristina and I am from Calgary, Alberta. I completed a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree and a Master of Science in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary. I then worked as orthopaedic research coordinator for the SCRUBS research group, where I managed a national multi-centre study to understand long-term outcomes of perilunate wrist injuries.
Although I enjoyed my research experiences, I realized that I wanted to pursue a patient-facing profession. I honed my interpersonal skills by volunteering as a crisis line responder and coach for the Distress Centre Calgary. I then cemented my passion for genetics by working with Dr. Aneal Khan and Heather Barnes at Metabolics and Genetics in Calgary (M.A.G.I.C. clinic). I was grateful for the opportunity to develop a self-report patient questionnaire for symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Working with EDS patients was incredibly rewarding and challenged me to appreciate the diverse perspectives of patients with complex needs. These experiences solidified my desire to become a genetic counsellor.
In my spare time, I am an avid swing dancer. I like to read science fiction novels on the beach and eat way too many tortilla chips!