Here is the profile of Claudia McBrearty, the recipient of the Michèle-Aubin scholarship 2024, currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Psychology under the guidance of Professor Josée Savard. This scholarship is made possible thanks to the Centre de recherche sur le cancer de l’Université Laval and the Fonds de cancérologie de la Fondation de l’Université Laval.
The desire to help others has always been at the heart of Claudia McBrearty’s priority and has quickly intertwined with her interest in learning about the psychological aspects of cancer. At a young age, she discovered the accomplishments of Dr. Jimmie C. Holland, a trailblazer in psycho-oncology. This inspired her ambition to become a psychologist specializing in oncology and to contribute, through research, to improving the quality of life of those facing cancer. Currently a third-year doctoral student in psychology, Claudia aims to become a professor-researcher in clinical psycho-oncology and to advance knowledge in this field. Her program equips her with skills in psychological assessment and therapy for cancer patients while enabling her to contribute to the enrichment of scientific knowledge in psycho-oncology.
Claudia's passion for health psychology has guided her academic and professional journey since her early years at Université Laval. Early on, she joined the Anxiety and Somatic Symptoms Research Laboratory at the Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ), where she worked for nearly three years. Subsequently, she returned to her core interest by joining Dr. Josée Savard’s Psycho-Oncology Laboratory at CHU de Québec–Université Laval. She contributes to research projects focusing on fear of cancer recurrence, insomnia, and the implementation of psychological interventions in healthcare settings.
She is conducting her doctoral research under the supervision of Dr. Josée Savard, exploring the role of thought orientations—optimistic, pessimistic, or realistic—on the well-being and psychological adjustment of women with metastatic breast cancer throughout their cancer trajectory. Specifically, she investigates the hypothesis that realistic attitudes may foster better adjustment to cancer. This promising project aims to equip psychosocial professionals working with metastatic cancer patients, enabling them to provide more tailored and effective support.
Alongside her research, Claudia is actively involved in clinical practice, completing internships with cancer patients experiencing psychological issues. She places great value on integrating research and clinical work and aspires to continue this dual approach throughout her career.