On October 13, 2021, SSU International Relations Office held an interview with Mr. Mohammad Ajmal, the first Ph.D. student of the School of Public Health. Mr. Ajmal is from Pakistan and has started his Ph.D. program in Epidemiology since September 2021 at the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health.
On the last day of his first stay in Yazd, he was invited to share his comments and opinions about the course and his experience at SSU through a friendly conversation. Concerning the limitations of the pandemic, Mr. Ajmal is taking the course through blended learning, a combination of in-person and online learning.
He has two master degrees in Hospital Health Management and Public Health (MSPH). He has the experience of working in Doctors Hospital & Medical Center in Lahore, and also in Jinnah Hospital as a case management officer. Currently he is working with ASD (Association for Social Development) as a regional program coordinator.
“Yazd is a beautiful and clean city, people are very friendly and have helpful minds. When I traveled to Iran, I had different expectations, and here is much greater than what I expected. The nature of hospitality … I cannot explain in my words, there are many great people here and I am very lucky.”, Mr. Ajmal said.
Having offers from some countries, he preferred to study in a Muslim country and after comparing the options he finally chose Iran and SSU for his Ph.D.
Mr. Ajmal has Prof. Masoud Mirzaei as his advisor whom he was so grateful to, and expressed his complete satisfaction with all the professors of the Dept. of Biostatistics and Epidemiology. “I am satisfied with the course and particularly with the teachers. The faculties are great, much better than what I expected before. They have done their best for me. For those students who want to study for Ph.D., this is the best place, they give every help to you, and every person has a mind to help”, he said.
He mentioned the faculties and the school facilities as the best points of studying at SSU, and named travelling and being away from the family as the biggest challenge, “You should have a clear objective and then face this challenge.”
We asked him if he will recommend others to study at SSU when he is back in Pakistan: “Not when I’m back, even now through social networks, I am in touch with my colleagues and they ask me, I strongly recommend them to enroll at SSU for their Ph.D.”