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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
