Fatherhood in the Queen’s Graduate Student Community

Meet Kishore Yesudasan Geethakumari
Kishore with his family

Kishore Yesudasan Geethakumari is a graduate student in the School of Nursing and a proud father. He came to Canada in 2018 to complete his undergraduate degree in Saskatoon, after which he wanted a change of scenery and moved to Kingston to get his Master’s degree. He chose Queen’s because of its high-level reputation in Canada and the potential it offered for his nursing prospects. Queen’s University is also close to the rest of his family which is ideal for him. Kishore is in the Nurse Practitioner Program and is studying to become a Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner who can work in health clinic, become an NP of mental health, or work in a corrections facility, long term care home, and more. His degree is clinically focused where he trains for be a clinician through practical hands-on work.

Kishore says that fatherhood has greatly benefitted his graduate work as he is much more experienced and comfortable working with infants and toddlers in his practicum and clinical practice. He says parents also seem more reassured with his clinical advice when he mentions the personal experiences and knowledge he has from caring for his own child in addition to the standard textbook advice. When asked how he balances his graduate studies with being a father, he says with a chuckle, “Now that’s the million-dollar question.” He finds that most graduate programs are designed according to the schedule of single and/or child-less students; but he’s found that Queen’s University has done a great job at preventing this fact from becoming a roadblock for him to succeed in his Master’s degree. He says his department has been amazing with providing support and accommodations when needed, but that he finds getting work done in advance in case anything unexpected comes up with the kid is best. He says that as a father there is very limited room to make mistakes and that he must work as much as possible when he can, such as when his wife is home or his son is asleep. He says with a warm smile, “All of this wouldn’t be possible without my wife because she helps a lot with expenses and support.” As a result of balancing fatherhood with graduate work, Kishore has experience working under pressure and with flexible schedules. He takes a more mindful approach to work by “dealing with things as you go” moment by moment. He has fine-tuned these skills now that his son is much more active as a toddler, wanting to explore and express his voice more. He says that his son is a big “daddy’s boy,” so he’s the main parent that his son always wants to spend time with, which can be difficult since he has to work primarily from home. However, the same undivided attention that Kishore loves giving his son when he wants or needs it extends to his philosophy as an NP – when they’re in need, he will drop his books to be there by their side and assist them.

For more details on the Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner program, check out the School of Nursing website.