Alumni Spotlight: Miyola, MSc Dental Public Health

Where is home?

Goa

What is your fondest memory of your time at UCL?

The most fondest memory I have of UCL is the small get together we had as a batch towards the end of the academic. We were a very small cohort of less than 10 students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We all were very close to each other before the pandemic hit thereby separating us in the middle of the course. So before we left the UK, we all decided to meet one last time in the Regent's Park for an afternoon picnic.

Tell us a bit about the work you are doing now.....

I work as a public health and quantitative researcher in Bihar. 50% of the population in Bihar is considered as multidimensionally poor. I'm part of several multidisciplinary projects aimed to improve and develop the state. I use my epidemiology and applied statistics skills to understand and analyse the impact of multidimensional determinants of health.

How did your UCL degree help you get to where you are now?

The MSc DPH at UCL helped me understand the concept of socio-economic determinants of oral health and thereby understand the impact it has over general wellbeing and vice versa. The skills that I acquired through the course set a strong foundation for my current research areas.

What have been your career highlights?

Keeping the accolades aside, I strongly feel that having the opportunity to work in Bihar is the highlight of my career. Here, I have had the greatest achievement in being able to observe first hand the positive impact of my work on the lives of people of Bihar.

What would be your advice for current students?

Prioritise what's important to you and work towards achieving it.
Work life balance with a research career can be achieved.