FNU’s CMNHS students during their practical class.

The current COVID-19 pandemic reinforces the important value of health research to society. It offers opportunities to health workers to develop and apply the fundamental skills in analysing data and producing information products or reports from various data sources or health information systems.

Health research provides critical information about disease trends and risk factors, outcomes of treatment or public health interventions, functional abilities, patterns of care and health care costs and use.

Health specialists who wish to enhance their expertise in this field can do so by enrolling for Semester 2 studies at the Fiji National University’s (FNU) Postgraduate Diploma in Health Research (PGDHR) programme.

Offered at FNU’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS), the programme is conducted through the School of Public Health and Primary Care at Tamavua Campus.

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Head of Department Dr Ramneek Goundar said the PGDHR programme aims to strengthen Health Information Systems in the Pacific and enable health staff to engage in health research and generate the evidence base for strategic decision-making and for informing health policies, programme and practices.

“The PGDHR programme focuses on building essential research skills at all levels which will allow students to develop proficiency in health research methods. It introduces epidemiological, biostatistical, data management and analysis, health research methods followed by application of these concepts in proposal development and a health research project,” said Dr Goundar.

“This programme attracts health care staff of all cadres responsible for managing or utilising data in health information systems. These include data officers, nurses, doctors, allied health staff as well as programme and senior managers.”

He said students can enrol online while based in hospitals, primary health care centres, community health centres, public health programme, pathology laboratories, pharmacies, or statistics offices.

The programme can be completed over a minimum of one year (full-time study equivalent) and a maximum of 2 years (part-time study equivalent). It has a total of four core courses implemented across two semesters.

Interested students can enrol for Semester 2 studies by visiting the FNU website on www.fnu.ac.fj  to learn more.

Prospective students can also text on 857 or email on admission@fnu.ac.fj if they face difficulties completing the process online or need further information on enrolment.