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Name: Khushi Mehta | Major: Psychology | Semester: Fall 2024
Working night shifts, rotating schedules, and long hours are realities for many in healthcare. During Fall 2024, I began a research project exploring how healthcare professionals cope with the mental and physical demands of shift work. Although I was still in the interview and planning phase, this semester laid the foundation for a larger study that will include surveys and qualitative responses from participants. My goal is to identify effective coping strategies and propose ways institutions can better support healthcare workers’ well-being. As someone entering the medical field, I hope this work will inform how I care for others- and how I care for myself and my colleagues.
The inspiration for this project came from my own experiences in healthcare. I’ve worked in hospitals and clinics where I saw nurses, phlebotomists, and other staff members push through exhausting schedules, sometimes sacrificing their own health to care for others. I started wondering: What helps these workers cope—and what doesn’t? That question became the heart of my research.
I connected with my faculty mentor, Dr. Lindsay Ham, after being reassigned to her as my previous mentor, Dr. Ivan Vargas, was furthering his research and career at a new institution. From our first meeting, she encouraged me to pursue this idea and helped me develop a research plan that was both personal and impactful. Together, we crafted an interview guide and an IRB proposal so I could begin gathering real stories from real people.
Even before collecting data, I learned that research is just as much about listening as it is about analysing. I spent this semester learning how to build strong, ethical questions that invite honest conversation. I also learned a lot about the research process itself- from structuring a literature review to formatting a study that could eventually include both quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Personally, I discovered that I enjoy the process of research more than I expected. I’ve always loved learning, but designing a study from scratch was a new kind of challenge. It forced me to be creative, to stay organized, and to trust that my questions were worth exploring.
One of the biggest challenges was balancing research with applying to PA school. The Fall 2024 semester was filled with application deadlines and interviews, which made time management especially important. I created detailed weekly schedules, blocked off time for research and writing, and leaned on friends and mentors when things got stressful.
Dr. Lindsay Ham played a central role in my success. She guided me through every stage of the process and always encouraged me to stay true to my passion. I also received support from other honours students, who helped me brainstorm and gave feedback during our group meetings. Their enthusiasm for their own projects inspired me to keep pushing forward with mine.
I plan to complete the data collection and analysis portions of this project in Spring 2025. I’m especially excited to include direct quotes from participants about what self-care looks like in their world. I hope my final paper will offer practical, realistic advice for healthcare workers and contribute to larger conversations about burnout, mental health, and worker advocacy in medicine.
This project has already shaped how I view my future in healthcare. As a soon-to-be physician assistant, I want to advocate not just for patients, but for the providers who care for them. I believe that better care starts with better support for our caregivers.