Studying Infectious Diseases online - Sathish's story | LSHTM

Studying Infectious Diseases online - Sathish's story

15 April 2021

Sathish, from India, worked full-time as a medical doctor while studying Infectious Diseases. He tells us about his experience on the programme and how his degree has influenced his career since graduating.

Please explain a bit about your academic/professional background

I am a medical doctor practicing in Thanjavur, south India.

Why did you choose to study your course at LSHTM?

I liked the choice of course modules which included clinical and public health aspects in equal measure, the convenience of distance learning and getting a degree from a prestigious institution.

What were your favourite aspects of the programme?

The flexible, distance learning schedule was convenient as I was working full time. The online support through Moodle was also very useful. I particularly enjoyed modules on Malaria, TB and HIV. The assignments at the end of the modules were really interesting and pushed me to develop my research skills.

How has the programme helped you in your career?

Besides being a high yield clinical knowledge resource, it has tremendously improved my communication skills with patients and broadened my views on the factors influencing health and hygiene. When I mention that I am an alum of LSHTM, it makes people notice and I am proud of my connection with the institution.

Studying at LSHTM is one of the best investments one can make in their career. At the end of the course, you come out as a different person with a deep and broad perspective on global health and infections and a great skill set which will help you in your future.

What have you been doing since graduation?

After my graduation from LSHTM, in addition to my clinical duties as a tropical medicine doctor, I have started to focus on hygiene and the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) situation in my city. We have established a non-profit organisation to control AMR and infections using a ‘one health’ approach.

As our first project, we have done a pilot study to engage school children through fun, interactive educational activities which teach about hygiene, infection control and appropriate antibiotic use. We are planning to expand the program to the villages. At the same time, we also hope to implement infection control and antimicrobial stewardship activities in medical facilities in our town.

What skills did you gain from studying this programme?

• Public health aspects of infections
• Infection control in healthcare settings
• Primary care infection prevention and control
• Communication skills
• Research and manuscript writing skills

Were you able to connect with other students?

Yes, we connected through Moodle forums and the Facebook distance learning LSHTM group.

What advice would you give to someone considering studying your programme at LSHTM?

Studying at LSHTM is one of the best investments one can make in their career. At the end of the course, you come out as a different person with a deep and broad perspective on global health and infections and a great skill set which will help you in your future.

Please sum up your experience of studying by distance learning with LSHTM

I was working full-time throughout the programme, therefore the ability to do a world class course at a flexible pace was a great opportunity for me. We received excellent books which continue to help me in my career. The assignments and modules were great and really helped me develop my research skills. Overall, it was a good choice for me to do the course and I am proud to be a LSHTM alumnus!