After graduating with his Bachelor in Kinesiology in 2018, Soham immediately enrolled in the Master’s in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene Program in the School of Population and Public Health at UBC. He is currently studying the skills and knowledge to anticipate, recognize, evaluate, and control chemical, physical and biological hazards in workplaces and community environments. Graduates from this program often work in careers such as cancer researchers, health and safety managers, policy analysts, and occupational hygienists. Soham sees connection between the broad field of occupational health and kinesiology in ergonomics. Ergonomists apply their knowledge of musculoskeletal function and how humans interact with their environment to make the workplace safer and more efficient. Now in his final semester, he had the opportunity to work at a health authority assessing worker noise exposure and recommending controls this past summer, and it had been a rewarding journey.
During his undergraduate studies, rather than sticking to physical health-focused electives, he chose diverse topics such as biomedical ethics, history, and global nutrition. Soham believes that the option to pick wide-ranging courses in the kinesiology program enhanced his experience in two primary ways. He says: “Firstly, the autonomy to study various subjects and think about the interconnectedness of fields vastly increased the intellectual stimulation I received. Secondly, the amazing opportunity to engage in dialogue with peers in different programs opened up my mind to newer perspectives.”
When asked about his extracurricular involvements in school, Soham focused primarily on tutoring kinesiology undergraduate students who had various conditions that affected their learning abilities. “The months I spent working with such individuals made me aware of not only the challenges faced by some of my fellow peers, but also their incredible ability to recover and empower themselves through the recovery process… The study of human movement is also intricately connected to the concept of ability, and my job as a peer tutor was a key bridge to see this concept in a new light”. Overall, Soham credits the academics and extracurricular activities he took part during his undergraduate studies of not only gaining skills for future careers, but also inspired him to think critically how he can personally enact change.
Advice for peers and students:
Originally intending to pursue typical, traditional options such as medicine and physiotherapy, I had never really considered occupational hygiene as an option. However, a chance elective in occupational health in my 3rd year of undergraduate studies in Kinesiology led to an unexpectedly rewarding career path. Being open to different opportunities and taking electives can be a life-changing experience!
