Interview with Pavithra Ashok, from Singapore - Year 2

What is your background (work experience and education)?

My name is Pavithra Ashok, from Singapore. I am a registered nurse, and I completed my bachelor’s degree in nursing. I was practising nursing in an Orthopedic department for 8 years. After 8 years of clinical experience, I went on to explore the administrative and management aspects of health care. I worked as a clinic manager for 2 years at a private general practitioner clinic.

What made you choose to study global health at Uppsala University?

My nursing career mainly revolved around clinicals, curative medical management and a small amount of clinical administration/management. I was intrigued to learn more about other aspects of health beyond hospitals and clinics. I was interested to learn about the global challenges and developing a career in research, which is very different from my past work experiences. I believe that research is extremely essential that allows us to innovate which ensures the longevity of the planet and humanity. I chose Uppsala University as I have heard great things about this university that offers a master’s programme that I am very interested in.

Until now, what part of the programme has been the most influential in your journey to global health?

An influential part of the programme is learning about decolonization of global health. I had not heard of this topic until I joined this programme, and it is truly an eye-opener. I believe it is vital to fight against ingrained systems of dominance and power. This issue is a work in-progress and I look forward to learning more about it.

What are your goals for the future in global health?

My future goals in global health are to pursue my PhD and become a researcher. I have developed a keen interest in academia after my internship at the department of KBH and would like to continue down that path.

What has been the most interesting part of the programme this far?

There are several interesting components of this programme. However, if I have to chose one; it would be when I got the opportunity to participate in the Global Health Case Challenge 2022 at Copenhagen University.

What is the best part of studying in an international programme?

I love how diverse and international my class is and this gave me the chance to learn about other cultures, traditions, and greetings in different languages. I get to learn more about context based global challenges from my classmates, which is very interesting and beneficial.

What has been the most challenging?

One aspect I found challenging initially was the research courses of the programme as I did not have in-depth courses on research methods during my bachelor’s. However, through the guidance from the teachers, I was able to navigate that challenge better.

Favourite thing to do in Uppsala?

I really enjoy living in Uppsala and I appreciate how pro-student this city is with many student nations and activities available throughout the nations. One of my favourite thing to do in Uppsala is to unwind at the end of the week at a student nations with friends.