Dong Di

Questions for a PhD Student

1) Why did you choose Duke-NUS to pursue your PhD?

My interest is in health services research and health policies. Duke-NUS is one of the few places that offer programs in these areas locally. The faculty in HSSR have diverse research interests and approaches, ranging from medical sciences to social sciences and decision sciences, so different kinds of undergraduate degrees are useful for research. Since my background is in biomedical sciences, I didn’t want to jump to a totally different field. The diverse research topics in DUKE-NUS really help me to use my knowledge from biomedical sciences and make smooth transitions to learn other useful skills along the way to do health services research. Also, I think the quality of PhD program is high and the culture of the school is open and encouraging.

2) Tell us about your research.

My research is in health services research and health economics (HSSR). A/P Eric Finkelstein is my mentor. My main research focus is the economic aspects of health care and health services. During my first year, I did a cost-effectiveness project to assess the economic feasibility of using genotyping technology to reduce the side effects of drugs.

3) What kind of background information did you gather about the HSSR prior to entering Duke-NUS?

I approached A/Prof Finkelstien directly to ask about his research. He gave some examples of the research in the fieldand recommended some popular science books based on interests. He also briefly discussed with me about my background and what skills I needed to gain to do research in this field.

4) A word for future PhD applicants?

I think it’s good to be open-minded and not worry so much about background. You will be able to try different things and find out what you really like in Duke-NUS.

Related Links:

HSSR Video