Shopnil Islam: It’s never too late to pursue a dream

Shopnil Islam has been at Nova Scotia Health for less than a year, but he is already thinking about what comes next. 

He started as a registration clerk in February, moved into scheduling in April, and is now studying to become a licensed practical nurse. His goal is to keep moving forward and inspire others along the way.

“It’s never too late to pursue a dream,” says Shopnil.

His scheduling role has given him a new perspective on the challenges facing healthcare, including staffing shortages.

“I see where the shortages are,” he says. “Facilities are always trying to find new people, for roles like nursing.”

That experience helped spark his interest in nursing, alongside a longstanding passion for biology. Growing up in Bangladesh, Shopnil studied science before coming to Canada in 2022 to pursue a business diploma at Holland College in Prince Edward Island. His family owns a business in Bangladesh, and he wanted to learn more about the field.

After graduating, he worked at a grocery store and a gas station before joining Nova Scotia Health. Now in his first semester of the Licensed Practical Nursing program at the Nova Scotia Community College Amherst Learning Centre, he expects to graduate in the spring of 2028.

It was when he was offered a longer assignment in scheduling that Shopnil saw an opportunity to do more within the health system. 

“If I can become a nurse, I can jump into more things. I felt like it wasn’t a good time to hold back,” he says. “I wanted the challenge.”

A message for others

Shopnil believes pursuing a new dream is possible at any stage of life.

“It can be open to anyone, at any time really. You just have to believe in it,” he says.

He encourages anyone considering a new direction to take the chance, even if they feel uncertain.

“I feel like there are a lot of people like me in that same situation,” he says.

From newcomer to healthcare student

Moving to Canada brought another challenge: adapting to a new culture and different ways of working and participating in the community.

“It was a completely new culture for me, and I had to spend some time catching up on things,” he says.

He also noticed differences in how patients are supported, particularly the attention given to mental health in Canada.

“When I saw how caring people are about others, I was surprised and impressed,” he says. “I knew this is something I want to do.”

In Bangladesh, he says, mental health often receives less attention despite the availability of doctors. Seeing the emphasis on mental well-being in Canada helped him understand that he wants to provide the kind of care that considers the whole person, and not just physical health.

Helping others has long been important to Shopnil. In Bangladesh, he volunteered with organizations supporting underprivileged children. In Canada, he has volunteered with the Canada Winter Games, a community income tax clinic and the Canadian Red Cross in Amherst. He also hopes to support people living with dementia.

For now, he is balancing his job, nursing studies, and life as a new father. He and his wife, who is in her third year of biochemistry at Mount Allison University, recently welcomed a baby. Despite the many demands on his time, Shopnil is determined to keep moving forward.

Photo of Shopnil Islam.