Postgraduate testimonials

Pornchanok Wantanakorn (2016 - 2017)

I decided to choose the MRes in Child Health, instead of an MSc, under introduction from the Programme Director Dr Katy Pike, since it offered a mid-way degree between MSc and PhD. The benefit I got from this programme was research skills. I did my research project on the subject of children with autism under the supervision of Dr Michelle De Hann and Helen O'Reilly. My supervisors helped me to conduct research with those children with special needs and their parents, and gave me feedback to improve my skills. Another advantage of this MRes was that it provided a compulsory basic statistic module and an epidemiology in child health module which were both useful for my project. I think this course is suitable for students who are deciding which career path they would like to take; researcher or clinician.

For me, after I finished the MRes, I went back to my career as a developmental behavioral pediatrician in Thailand. However, I'm still using research in my career path and my experience of MRes in Child Health at UCL it is very helpful for me.

Atul Palakattil (2016 - 2017)

In my eyes, the world of research nurtures curiosity and identifies realistic possibilities and potentials to change lives for the better. I needed to be a part of it and where better to gain experience, knowledge, and skills other than at a world-renowned institution such as UCL. After completing my medical studies and having envisioned medical improvements in the field of Paediatrics and Mental Health I pursued a Master of Research in Child Health. The course schedule allowed me to settle into the programme at my own pace and the programme offered additional guidance and support in terms of improving my skills in statistics, writing, and leadership. As my main research project, I was part of a team that considered autism and the effects of emotion recognition training on visual attention. I particularly enjoyed meeting the parents and the children who took part in the study as well as working with the team in charge of the study. The skills and knowledge I have gained from this experience are invaluable and I aim to use them in my career as a medical doctor. I recommend this course to anyone within the scientific community with a curiosity or interest in research.

Output from student work

Publications arising from MRes work include:

• Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Dose Recommendations for Posaconazole in Infants and Children (2018) Sophida Boonsathorn, Iek Cheng, Frank Kloprogge, Carlos Alonso, Charmion Lee, Bilyana Doncheva, John Booth, Robert Chiesa, Adam Irwin, Joseph F. Standing