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Shaina Corrick is Changing the Way We Understand Gender and Health

For Shaina Corrick of Stony Plain, ß÷ßäÉçÇø, convocating this June marks not just the end of her graduate studies; it’s the beginning of a career committed to advancing health equity.

Her research explored how sex and gender shape the way people experience internet- and mobile-based wellness programs, particularly those that use mind-body techniques like meditation, breathing, and gentle movement. These interventions have proven helpful for people with chronic health conditions, yet Shaina discovered a major gap: most studies don’t consider how gender influences their effectiveness.

“We found that gender didn’t just influence how participants engaged with the program,” Shaina says. “It also shaped how they made sense of their illness, coped emotionally, and interacted with cultural expectations around care and recovery.”

Her work sheds light on the nuanced, lived realities of patients and the need for health interventions that are inclusive and responsive to gender diversity. Shaina’s findings are already making an impact. They were presented at the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico and published in .

Her advice for future grad students? “Graduate studies are a marathon, not a sprint. Choose a research topic that feels personally or professionally meaningful and hold on to your ‘why.’”

Next up, Shaina will begin a PhD in the Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, continuing to explore gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in access to treatment for people with movement disorders. It’s a natural next step for a researcher devoted to making healthcare more equitable.

In the rare moments she isn’t working, Shaina finds balance through mindfulness and meditation, habits she picked up through her research, and spending time with her four beloved dogs.

With curiosity, compassion, and a fierce commitment to equity, Shaina Corrick is poised to make a lasting mark in the world of health research.