Katarina's Career Journey at MGH

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Katarina Brkic and I am the Communications Assistant on the Corporate Communications team at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH). I have been working at MGH for just under a year now.

What motivated you to join MGH?

I applied to MGH during the last month of my postgraduate degree in Public Relations at Humber College. I knew during my application process that I wanted to work in the healthcare industry. Growing up, I had a strong passion for writing, storytelling and media, and felt a bond with the healthcare system. My mother worked in this field and spoke only highly of her experiences, and as someone with deep compassion for helping others and wanting to communicate transparently to audiences, I felt the healthcare system was the perfect fit for me.

I was hired in April 2021 and started my position in May after graduating school. I worked as a Corporate Communications intern for six months and am now currently working as a Communications Assistant.

Can you describe your experience at MGH?

What I truly loved about my internship was how versatile my tasks were. I was able to not only creatively showcase my skills in storytelling, social media and strategic planning, but I was given an abundant amount of opportunities to showcase my digital skills in graphic design, as well as be introduced to media relations. This internship is well-rounded and showed me each unique aspect of the communications industry. MGH provided me the opportunity to wear multiple hats, which allowed me to express my creativity and force me to learn more about the industry.

This internship allowed me to learn more about the public relations and communications field and provided many different paths to enhance my knowledge. The differing roles I was given throughout my internship gave me the confidence and reassurance to know that I am in the exact field I want to pursue the rest of my communications career in. My team equipped me with multiple new skills and assisted me in strengthening current skills I learned at school. MGH allowed me to go past the textbooks and apply my knowledge and skills to real-life situations – this is something I found truly helpful.

I’ll admit I was nervous to not only begin my internship journey, but to begin it at a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Everything moved at a much quicker pace internally but I made sure to always ask questions – there’s no such thing as a silly question!  My team made sure every question I asked was listened to and answered. I feel I was very supported throughout my journey and truly appreciated the weekly check-ins I have with my manager and supervisor, as well as daily check-in meetings with my team. Even during a time of remote work and separation, the team always made sure I was kept in the loop and updated on any changes. They also checked in on my workload to make sure I wasn’t overwhelmed and that my mental health was a priority, which for me is a significant factor to consider when beginning my public relations journey.

If you could share one memorable moment from your time at MGH, what stands out to you?

One key, memorable moment of my internship journey was being able to assist with the media tour at the record-breaking Scotiabank vaccine clinic in June 2021. It was a remarkable experience to be a part of during an internship journey and showed me how much fun communications can be, even during a pandemic! It was so much fun to connect with the community and speak to local news reporters.

However, I think the most memorable moment would be my first day of my internship at MGH. It was filled with ongoing support and enthusiasm. The team immediately welcomed me with open arms and wide smiles. I was really nervous on my first day because I don’t live in Toronto and was unfamiliar with the area, but the team made sure I was comfortable and knew my way around the hospital and in the city. Everyone on this team is caring and appreciative – they will always be there to support you and guide you in the right direction. If anybody is deciding on where to complete their public relations or communications internship while finishing up school, I strongly suggest Michael Garron Hospital – there will be zero regrets.