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Fabio V. Lima, M.P.H. |
Please tell us about some of your activities since your graduation from the MPH program?
Since graduating in 2012, I began my medical
school career at Stony Brook University School of Medicine. Throughout this
past first year I have been consistently engaged in both cardiovascular
medicine research and physician workforce research. Within the Division of
Cardiology I have utilized my MPH background to further progress a large
randomized clinical trial we started some years back, as well as conduct
multiple case-control retrospective studies of national-scale health databases.
These retrospective studies have allowed opportunities for me to collaborate
with other MPH graduates of Stony Brook and utilize our individual talents to
produce some high quality data for publication in journals. In regards to the
workforce study, this is a really interesting study that Dr. Edelman and I
along with other alumni and faculty have been continuously working on in
investigating changing patterns in medical residencies.
How has your MPH degree influenced your career?
I believe my MPH degree has helped clarify my
options for developing a future career as an academic physician. Research has
always been one of my passions, and the MPH degree has appreciably furthered my
skillset as a researcher by providing me with a stronger statistical and
data-management background. Additionally, as a physician-in-training, the MPH degree
has greatly expanded my intellectual curiosity for understanding
epidemiological concepts of disease manifestation and treatment.
What advice would you give a new student just starting the program?
I would
suggest three main pointers to incoming students:
1) Follow your passion and your efforts. What I mean to say is, if
there is something you genuinely enjoy studying – whatever it may be (heart
disease, women’s health, water sanitation, etc.) – put your efforts towards
that. Become an emerging expert in that field. Utilize each and every class
writing/presentation assignment as an opportunity to further your background on
that topic. When you write a paper for your class assignment, do it as if
you’re writing a manuscript for publication in a leading journal. You may just
end-up submitting it for publication.
2) Collaborate with your public health professors! I cannot stress
this enough. These are brilliant and remarkable individuals that are renowned
in their respective fields; utilize this opportunity as an MPH student to learn
from them and be mentored. Even if your interests are not entirely paralleled,
your public health professors can offer you invaluable insights in preparing
grant applications, manuscript writing techniques, data analysis, etc.
3) In conjunction with the prior statement, work with fellow
students. If you get your hands on a comprehensive dataset you think is capable
of producing some worthwhile research, invite other students to work with you.
Collaboration among peers often yields synergistic
effects. You may, for example, be talented with SAS or STATA, whereas another
student may be gifted in manuscript writing: work together. Lighten your load
so that you can better focus on what you’re good at. Soon you’ll see great
results.
Posted Summer 2013
