Kristi Gurski
Occupational Therapist
Yellowknife
What makes working as an Occupational Therapist here different from anywhere else you've practiced?
I had the opportunity to complete one of my student placements in Pediatrics at Stanton Territorial Hospital in 2010. I quickly fell in love with the community and diverse OT practice in Yellowknife. Years later, I found my way back and have enjoyed living in Yellowknife for almost a decade. Working as an OT in the north means you have to be a generalist. I’ve learned to be creative, adaptive and resourceful, given the challenges of serving patients in remote communities who have limited access to health services. For me, living and working in Chief Drygeese territory has been a privilege and a gift.
What's your favorite local activity, event, trail, restaurant, or hidden gem?
- Picking cloudberries, cranberries and foraging for morel mushrooms
- Attending the YKDFN spring carnival events, especially hand games
- Paddling to Float on the Rocks and the Dog Island Floating Film Fest
- Enjoying outdoor activities on the lakes year round: swimming, canoeing, sailing, paddle boarding, fishing, skiing and skating.
What's the most "only in the Northwest Territories" experience you've had?
Commuting to work by bike across frozen Frame Lake.
If a friend visited for the first time, what would you insist they experience before they leave?
Getting out on the land, enjoying the beautiful landscape and people of Yellowknife.
What would you say to an Occupational Therapist who is considering moving to NWT?
Being an OT in the NWT is an adventure for anyone interested in broadening their perspectives and working to their full scope of practice, all while being closely connected to nature and northern culture. It’s for anyone who is interested in serving community in a good way, building relationships and getting a chance to work alongside great people.