Chesmal Siriwardhana
I studied for MSc in Psychiatric Research course as part of my Wellcome Trust Fellowship in Public Health and Tropical Medicine. It was the perfect course to learn and enhance my skills in psychiatric and mental health research. I had worked as a researcher in mental health prior to the course and this course gave me the chance to hone my skills and learn sound research and statistical methodology. I also had the chance to acquire knowledge on different fields of psychiatric research.
It was one of the most rewarding experiences in my life as I had the chance to learn from global leaders in mental health. They were inspirational for me in many ways in developing my career as a researcher and an academic. I am currently conducting research among internally displaced people in Sri Lanka as part of my Wellcome Trust fellowship and knowledge and skills I learnt at the MSc in psychiatric Research is helping me immensely to conduct sound research. I had the honour of being selected as the first ever recipient of Professor Robin Murray Award for the best MSc dissertation in Psychiatric Research course, which was very rewarding and gratifying for me.
I strongly consider that graduating from this course was a life changing experience both academically and personally.
Nicholas Frantzides
Completing the MSc in Psychiatric Research has been one of the most valuable and rewarding experiences of my life. The programme is taught by excellent lecturers and professionals and it hasn’t just helped me built upon my previous research experience but more importantly, it has offered me a more in-depth understanding of research methodologies, statistics and epidemiology.
The courses and the mathematics involved might be challenging at times, but the teaching environment is exceptional and everyone, from the staff to the students, is very helpful. I would say that what defines the programme is the will to learn and understand advanced scientific and mathematical concepts. My fellow students were never competitive and everyone was always willing to provide a helping hand in times of need. Additionally, everyone in my group had a diverse background, ranging from students that had just completed their BA to well established professionals (psychiatrists, nurses etc.) and this has also offered me a greater and better insight into what is going on in the field. I definitely recommend this programme for students who are planning on continuing their education further, since it is the best and most complete preparation one can possibly have before entering a Phd in Psychology or Clinical Psychology degree.
Alkiviadis Velivasis
I undertook the MSc in Psychiatric Research at the Institute of Psychiatry 2008-2009. I would definitely recommend this course as a way of both acquiring a solid background in mental health research, and as an opportunity to gain some invaluable experience. As a student the course offered me in-depth practical and theoretical insights into research methodologies, psychiatric epidemiology and medical statistics. The course featured challenging classes and lectures and offered an excellent academic environment in which to learn. All my coursework was done under the supervision of inspiring and highly qualified lecturers and tutors. As a psychiatrist, I now feel more confident as a researcher: I have gained a qualification of the highest standard and my research work has benefited from tutelage from world experts in the field.
Suelin Yoon
The course was more than I expected. The modules and lectures provided essential knowledge which contained diverse aspects of major research areas that I really needed. Academic opportunities such as various seminars and sessions that I could encounter in the Institute of Psychiatry were very helpful as well. It was also a pleasure to meet and work with wonderful people during the course. Overall, I feel that my masters course was a very successful experience for both my career and future life.
Sirijit Suttajit
Studying for the MSc in Psychiatric Research at the Institute of Psychiatry was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The course gave me the skills and confidence to be able to conduct research in various fields of psychiatry. I feel I have become a better psychiatrist and a better researcher as a result.
Returning to India after completing the MSc in Psychiatric Research at the Institute of Psychiatry, I had 18 months funding from the Wellcome Trust to follow-up those with dementia and cognitive impairment and I also surveyed mortality across the whole Chennai elderly cohort, using the WHO verbal autopsy interview
I am currently writing papers on cause and cause-specific mortality. The MSc in Psychiatric Research has enabled me to function as an independent researcher in India and I can now confidently design research projects, perform statistical analysis, and write research papers for scientific journals.
Mishael Soemekun
The MSc in Psychiatric Research at the Institute of Psychiatry was one of the best courses I have even taken. Lectures were given by many of the best scientists in the field and I found this incredibly inspirational. I had initally taken the course to acquire knowlege about current research in the field and also to gain an understanding of research techniques that would help me develop the necessary skills required for training in Clinical Psychology. The course did however exceed my expectations by providing me with valuable experiences and opportunties which increased my confidence to carry out research. As a consequence, I am now in my first year of doctoral training as a Clinical Psychologist and looking back I can see that the MSc in Psychiatric Research was the best preparation I could have given myself for this.
Sunita Rajput
My MSc in Psychiatry Research has definitely helped me. I am in my second year completing a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology at the school of Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology. It has helped me read research papers with grater confidence especially the results section!! I also teach A level Psychology and it has helped me with teaching Research Methods.