With the project coming to a close, we would like to share some testimonials of participants involved at different levels in the project. We start with a testimonial from Ami Febriza, a student participant from Universitas Hasanuddin.
Dr. Febriza’s research project involved investigating curcumin’s antibacterial activity in vivo:
I designed a study that used mice, as a sample that was induced with Salmonella typhi. Later on, all the mice were given intervention, curcumin, antibiotic and placebo. The result, that curcumin can also inhibit the growth of the bacteria after 5 days.
When asked about the importance of Health-I, Dr. Febriza shared that the science of epidemiology and statistics will help her in her role as a lecturer to guide students in conducting their research. Further, Dr. Febriza stresses that epidemiological research is important in itself for society, as it helps produce great reliable data that can be used to increase quality of care and health.
What kind of impact will Health-I generate?
Dr. Febriza shares how Health-I helped her as a professional. She explains that the skills she earned during Health-I helped her understand the concepts of epidemiological studies, including study design, the appropriateness of study design applications and how to utilise SPSS.
What was your biggest challenge?
When asked about her biggest challenges during Health-I, Dr. Febriza shares that time is her main obstacle. Balancing taking part in learning units with heading a study program and being a PhD student can be difficult, she shares. The novelty of topics such as big data and appropriateness of healthcare interventions was cited as another challenge. However, when asked how to overcome these challenges, Dr. Febriza’s answer was clear: collaboration. To overcome these difficulties Dr. Febriza said it was most helpful to discuss topics with peers or tutors.
Sharing a favourite memory…
Dr. Febriza fondly remembers is the connection made with Professor Cuno and Joyce Brown. They were of help to Dr. Febriza in applying to a short course in the Julius Centre UMC at Utrecht University. There, Dr. Febriza recalls she learned a lot from Professor Cuno, specifically regarding quality manuscript composition.
Thoughts for the future:
“With the experience and knowledge I gained from the HEALTH-I project, I will use it in developing research at the University where I teach, and do more research on epidemiology. Hopefully, I could finish my doctoral, and continue to learn more about this on my post doc.”
Dr. Febriza also shares that the experience of taking part in online courses served as a catalyst to develop an online learning model in the study program where she teaches. She also recounts that the medical faculty at Universitas Hassanudin has begun to use blended learning models more often, with learning management systems, especially during the pandemic situation.