In October this year (2024) I took the big decision to undertake a PhD alongside my role as a Community Researcher on the 5-year NIHR-funded UPTURN study. It is early days but, so far, balancing the responsibilities of a full-time PhD programme and a research career has been an enriching and fulfilling experience for me. As both my PhD and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) researcher roles are based at the University of York, working on them together is helping me grow professionally and giving me many more opportunities to make a meaningful impact on health equity in underserved communities.
Overlapping interests between PhD and UPTURN research role
My PhD research focuses on Severe Mental Illness (SMI) in South Asia, and specifically on modifying health risk behaviours (such as smoking, poor dietary patterns, irregular physical activity) and improving lifestyle outcomes for people often underrepresented in research. As an UPTURN EDI workstream researcher, I am exploring Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and the uptake of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in Bangladeshi, African, and Caribbean communities across England. Although these topics might appear to be unrelated, they both focus on health disparities and systemic inequities—a common thread that highlights my dedication to improving health outcomes for marginalised communities.
Insights into South Asian Health Experiences
Both my PhD and research role are enabling me to have a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by South Asian populations when accessing healthcare – whether in England or in South Asia (Bangladesh, India and Pakistan). As a Bangladeshi researcher working with Bangladeshi communities in both England and Bangladesh, my cultural and linguistic skills and knowledge are proving invaluable. They help me create trust, connect meaningfully with communities, and ensure that the study findings are relevant. My lived experience also enables me to traverse complicated cultural nuances and helps me to contribute to developing more inclusive and impactful health solutions.
My work on the UPTURN project is helping me learn more about culturally sensitive approaches to health promotion and interventions. My hands-on experience in this EDI role is also enabling me to better contextualise and address mental health inequalities in my PhD research. This bidirectional learning is increasing my awareness of cultural competency and its significance in research and practice.
Transferable Skills
Balancing the demands of a PhD with a dynamic research post is providing me with a diverse set of transferable skills that go far beyond academia. Time management and prioritisation are two of the most important competencies that I have gained, allowing me to accomplish the goals of both professions so far while maintaining excellent work standards.
In both roles, I am developing strong qualitative and quantitative research skills. From conducting interviews and focus groups to analysing massive datasets, I am developing a balanced understanding of these complementary methodologies. Furthermore, my ongoing experience of trial design and implementation is increasing my understanding of how research translates into practical, evidence-based interventions, a skill set that will be very useful in future work.
Collaboration has become another key component of my development. Working in two large multidisciplinary teams is helping me understand different points of view, promote shared goals, and be part of two productive and inclusive research groups. This experience is teaching me the importance of adaptability, empathy, and clear communication in achieving collective goals.
In terms of the so-called ‘soft skills’, I am working on and learning resilience, flexibility, and critical problem-solving. My dual professions are also increasing my emotional intelligence, particularly in understanding and responding to the needs of underprivileged groups. This is helping me to be me more sensitive to cultural differences and the importance of developing inclusive research programmes.
The Research Environment
The University of York provides a strong and supportive research environment, which is benefitting my career in many ways. I did my Master’s here and wanted to continue working at York afterwards. Its interdisciplinary approach, strong mentoring culture, and commitment to addressing global issues makes it an ideal setting for early career researchers like me. Having both my PhD and Community Researcher roles at the same institution is also enabling me to leverage shared resources, collaborate on various networks, and seamlessly transfer ideas from one to the other.
Gratitude for Guidance and Support
I credit much of my progress to the incredible mentorship and support that I have received. My PhD supervisors’ recommendations influenced my study direction and inspired me to think critically about the challenges of mental health in South Asia. Similarly, my line manager and coworkers on the UPTURN EDI workstream have been sources of inspiration and collaboration. Their dedication to addressing health disparities, as well as their encouragement, have made combining these responsibilities not only possible but also enjoyable. I appreciate the flexibility and understanding of both my PhD and EDI teams. The mutual acknowledgment of the difficulties of my two roles has resulted in a collaborative rather than competitive environment, each role supporting the other.
Future Directions
Reflecting on the start of my journey, I am grateful for the opportunities and support that are enabling me to grow personally and professionally. Balancing a PhD and a research career is difficult but also rewarding. The skills, insights, and experiences that I have gained already will continue to shape my approach to research going forward and my passion for health equity.
Tahsin Tabassum, MBBS, MPH
PhD Student, SCIMITAR
EDI Researcher (UPTURN Study)
Department of Health Sciences
University of York