Five Questions with K. Jo Wells
For this month’s “Five Questions” blog post, we talked with K. Jo Wells, a Clinical Research Coordinator with out team to learn more about her journey into mental health research.
Jo came to our team earlier this year from obstetrics and gynecology and previously also worked in breast cancer research. In our lab, she is the Research Coordinator for the BEACON and ECORT studies. Read more about our conversation with her below.
1. What brought you to the area of mental health?
I wanted to answer the big questions – who are we, why are we here, do we have free will or are we a product of a complex chain of reactions? I thought the best place to start looking for answers was by looking into the brain, so I enrolled in neuroscience and mental health. Sadly, I don’t have answers to those big questions (yet!), but I am learning a lot of fantastic things along the way.
2. What work do you do in the lab and what has been your proudest moment so far?
I am a Clinical Research Coordinator, so I facilitate the conduct of clinical research studies and trials. I’ve been a Clinical Coordinator with the OHRI for 2+ years, and my proudest moments are always when I make a patient feel heard; helping patients connect with the care they need is the reason I do what I do!
3. Would you rather be a tiny elephant or a giant hamster?
Tiny elephant for sure! Elephants are quite resistant to cancer and have incredibly long memories. Plus depending how tiny I am, I could live out my lifelong dream of being a house pet (free food and unlimited snuggles for life? Sign me up!).
4. What is the best (or worst) advice you’ve ever been given?
In grade 11 I was told by one of my teachers that math and science weren’t my strongest subjects, so I should just drop them. I took that terrible advice and, instead, only signed up for subjects I was already good at. I’ve since learned 2 important things: If you are already good in a subject, then you aren’t learning much in class and 2. Don’t let anyone dictate what you should be passionate about – if you like a subject, and you want to learn, then do it. Your passion and determination is what makes you successful. Don’t let any nay-sayers tell you otherwise. P.S, I went back to school and took every math and science class I could sign up for all the way into university. To this day, my highest grade was in calculus – so take that, Mr. Bad Advice High School Teacher!
5. What’s your favorite way to unwind after a busy day?
I love being in nature, so going for a long hike to a nice viewpoint would be perfect. Bonus points if it’s a sunny autumn day, and at the end of the hike someone gives me a warm pumpkin-spice-anything. Mmm!