Why did you decide to study at King’s?
Before King’s, I trained in dentistry. I founded a volunteer group as I felt dentistry needed working on as a clinical area. In my third year, I worked in an underserved community and so many questions started popping up about health outcomes.
I started emailing lots of people to find out more. And one of the connections I made was another Peruvian called Dr Eduardo Bernabe. I discovered he was the programme coordinator of the MSc Dental Public Health at King’s. While on elective at Sheffield University, I travelled to London to meet him. He told me I should take a break from studying before applying for this course. Following his advice, I completed a teaching assistant post and a diploma.
I got in touch again after two years and the opportunity was still waiting for me. The financial part was difficult. I knew King’s offered scholarships, so I applied for two. I was extremely lucky to get both of them – the Presidential Scholarship and the Santander Masters Scholarship.
And how did you know King’s was right for you?
I wanted to learn from the amazing research happening at King’s. King’s produces top quality research and is home to high profile academics. I didn’t actually apply to any other universities as I knew the course covered what I wanted to learn.
What did you cover on your course?
We had a range of taught modules covering areas like research methods, biostats, interventions and planning. Then we completed our dissertation. This was very different as you have to work independently. I knew there were challenges that need to be solved in Peru. I’d seen these issues first-hand, so I completed my own health services research.
What were the teaching team like at King’s?
One of them was Dr Eduardo Bernabe who I was already connected with, but I’d known him mainly over email before. He was very motivating, and we were all eager to learn from his expertise. Professor Tim Newton also stood out – he was very aware of people and how to communicate with students in the lecture theatre.
We also had Dr Wael Sabbah. He was great and he taught us about intervention. He was very open with us, so it was very different from Peru where there is a hierarchy in the lecture theatre. At King’s, the teaching team ask about how you are doing day-to-day.
What have you been up to since graduating from King’s?
After finishing my dissertation, I started to look into staying in the UK. However, I had two brilliant job opportunities back in Peru.
I’ve been carrying out research and teaching undergraduate students. My research focuses on health services, dental health and social determinants of oral health inequalities. I’ve used what I learnt from King’s in all my work. Teaching and doing research with students has been a very enriching experience. Now the next step for me is a PhD.
What were the most important things you learnt at King’s?
Research skills, absolutely. Methods, appraisals and actually carrying it out. But also organising my time. When you’re younger, everything is easier to manage. As you work more independently, you realise it’s actually quite difficult to balance everything. You need to make sure you schedule time to study, but also get some fresh air and meet friends. I quickly realised I’m not a machine – I can’t work 24/7!
I also got a worldwide perspective. London isn’t huge really, but it has everything. You see many things that you wouldn’t expect, and I met many people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. When I was at school, we had people from the US, but I never had friends from the Middle East or any other cultures. The greatest thing was despite all our differences, we had so many things alike. For example, there are words in Spanish that are the same as in Arabic, so I started learning a bit from my friends.
How do you want to make an impact?
Someone asked me recently if I was happier now. I told them it’s not about being happier. The journey is about knowing who you are. I really identify with King’s current mission to “make the world a better place”.
I feel I’ve contributed by raising awareness of the issues here in Peru. I’m looking at the problems around oral health inequalities and how we can solve them. When I’m 80 or 90 and I look back on my life, I want to know I’ve contributed to creating a better place to live with less inequalities. But I’ve got a long way to go yet!
Finally, do you have any advice for prospective students?
Go for it. Research at King’s is very high quality. So if this is what you want to do, this is the place to go. Sometimes research can seem daunting – it might seem too technical or difficult, but at King’s you’ll learn from high profile researchers. We had visiting lecturers from around the world too. You’re in one place, but the best professionals in your area come to you. What more could you ask for?
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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