Ricky Odedra, PhD Candidate, Imperial College London

To help current students and recent graduates navigate the world of work, several USI Alumni shared their career paths and career story. Here the story of Ricky Odedra, PhD Candidate at Imperial College London. USI Degree: Master in Communication, Management and Health, 2024.

How did you start your career?

Following on my undergraduate degrees in Hungary and Master's at USI, I decided to continue a path in academia by undertaking a PhD at Imperial College London at the Department of Surgery and Cancer.

Why did you choose a career at Imperial College London?

Imperial College London has a highly distinguished reputation worldwide for pioneering research across sub-fields of STEM and beyond. Much like USI, they have a diverse set of students spread across multiple campuses and the opportunity to pursue translational research at a leading institution was fantastic.

What is your current role/duties?

I am a PhD Candidate within the North West London Patient Safety Research Collaboration (PSRC) based in the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI). My project is looking at how to develop, implement, and evaluate patient-centered interventions to reduce harm from language barriers in healthcare delivery. The project is under the following theme: "Influencing patient and healthcare worker behaviors to optimise safety and minimise risk", guided by Mr. Erik Mayer and Dr. Phoebe Averill.

I work alongside my supervisors on my own PhD topic as well as offering supporting roles for their respective projects. I carry out mixed methods approaches to research that spans Patient Safety, Digital Health, and health inequities. Aside from this, I also undertake exam support and teaching assistant roles within the Faculty of Medicine.

In your opinion, what are the qualities necessary for a successful career at Imperial College London?

You need to ensure you have an open mind not just to research but also society at wide. Research in academia is often about pragmatic and unexpected choices that you can't foresee so being adaptable to the environment around you is essential. Most importantly, you need to be passionate about your research; you will be reading about it for 4 years after all.

What positive aspects and qualities meant most to you during the study programme you attended?

The rich mix of classes from management based modules to public health were critical for my education and setting me up for my PhD. There's a really diverse set of cultures embedded within every class so you're able to embrace different ways of thinking while also appreciating the core theory that's at the foundation of many classes.

What competences and skills acquired in your USI Study Program have been useful/are useful to your professional career?

Although specific to my current position, the combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods were crucial during my interview and current roles. My programme also had specialist classes that you may not come across in other universities such as Digital Health and Health Communication.

What is your advice to USI students entering the job market?

Make the most of the classes, no matter how insignificant they seem! Work hard at your passions and wherever possible, pursue a course that effects positive change. Lastly, sometimes it takes 150 applications, and sometimes just 5 but you'll find a position that you truly enjoy.