The Centre for Adolescent Health hosts international visitors for bespoke learning programs in adolescent health. We work with visitors to develop tailored learning programs, providing access to world leaders in adolescent health research for learning and relationship building.
Two of our most recent visitors, Dr Firdaus, Head of the Adolescent Health Sector at the Malaysian Ministry of Health and Ms Rui Deng, a PhD student from Peking University, shared some reflections on their time at the Centre.
Dr Firdaus joined us for two weeks in September to build practical knowledge and understanding of adolescent health and community programs. He had the following to say about his recent visit:
“What an enriching two weeks this has been learning from Professor Sawyer and her excellent team!
I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to have immersed myself in adolescent health programs in Melbourne. I was particularly struck by the strong emphasis on collaborative planning and coordination across various stakeholders. It highlighted how a passionate, dedicated team is pivotal for success.
Seeing the comprehensive approach linking primary, secondary and tertiary care reinforced the need for an integrated multi-level strategy. Proactive training initiatives like HEADSS for medical students were particularly insightful.
The visit also highlighted the importance of data collection, analysis and research to inform policies and programs, along with the crucial role of funding and grants in bringing well-designed plans to fruition. But beyond that, I appreciated that fostering an open culture of continuous learning and knowledge-sharing is equally vital.
Professor Sawyer leads with such expertise, warmth and energy, this experience has deepened my enthusiasm for adolescent health. I’m extremely grateful to her and the entire team for hosting me.”
Ms Rui Deng is the 6th team member from Peking University’s Institute for Child and Adolescent Health to spend a year with us.
Rui’s research is focused on the timing of early weight gain in childhood and its impact on the timing of pubertal initiation.
At her farewell, she shared how much she had learnt during her time at the Centre, describing her year as “a big harvest for me.”
She was particularly impressed by the efficiency of communication between colleagues and by the quality of our research management, especially in relation to the complexity of running large cohort studies!
On a personal note, she was hugely appreciative of the support so many members of the team and was thankful for everyone’s patience and encouragement of her attempts to speak English. Rui leaves feeling much more confident than a year ago!
