Starting an Honors program because the history of medicine was a better fit than practicing medicine.
Shelby’s fascination with psychology and war led her back to UAlberta Arts.
This is five-part series profiling the Faculty of Arts Honors students who are presenting at the inaugural Arts Honors Mini-Conference on November 17, 2020.
Tell us about yourself.
My name is Shelby Drozdowski, and I’m in the last year of the History Honors degree program.
How did you come to be in the Honors program? Tell us about your area of interest.
My road to Honors was definitely unique: I worked as a Primary Care Paramedic in Edmonton for three years before deciding that I was more interested in the history of medicine than practicing medicine myself. It led me back to university. I was recommended to the Honors program by a couple of my history professors, but I wasn’t sure about it. I took some time to think about it, but it was the opportunity to do in-depth research on a specific topic that convinced me.
I had always been fascinated by the evolution of psychology during the First World War just from casual reading, and the chance to do something more with it and develop my own research through my honors thesis was something I had always wanted to do. Working with different professors on different projects shaped the direction of my final thesis: I now study how the death, disappearance, and wounding of hundreds of thousands of soldiers affected the societies they came from.
What has your Honors experience been like?
My honors experience has been difficult, certainly, but it has also been so much fun. I know I can rely on my classmates to help me out if I’m having trouble understanding Foucault or if I need someone to bounce ideas off while writing my thesis. Being able to work closely with faculty members is such a wonderful experience, and they really push you to do your best.
What will you be presenting on at the Honors mini-conference?
To keep things fun and lighthearted, I’ll be presenting a short history of European cannibalism and how to contextualize medicine in history.
What would you tell someone that is considering applying to Honors?
The transition from high school to university is such a challenging one, and one I don’t have experience with. I came from another profession with a renewed vigour for learning and challenging myself. If I had any advice, it would be for new students to find their limits before entering the program. The program doesn’t get serious until your third year, so you have time to make choices!
Learn more about the Honors program and all the undergraduate degree programs that the Faculty of Arts has to offer by:
- Visiting the Degree programs page on the Arts website,
- Watching our Program Overview Videos on the Faculty of Arts YouTube channel, and
- Discussing your options with an undergraduate advisor — email arts.undergrad@ualberta.ca or book a one-on-one advising appointment by clicking here
