Fayez Abdulrazeq, fellow in WHO Health Emergencies, Infectious Hazards Preparedness programme, 20 October 2019–20 June 2020

It was a life-changing and eye-opening experience for me. It helped me to grow both professionally and personally. I expanded my knowledge about different areas such as pandemic influenza preparedness, and outbreak investigation and response. Moreover, I acquired many technical skills such as data monitoring and reporting.

I am a medical doctor with sincere passion toward public health, epidemiology, and scientific research. Therefore, I have pursued a Master of Science (MSc) in Epidemiology from Jordan University of Science and Technology.

What inspired you to come to work everyday?

Searching for new challenges and eagerness to learn new things was my drive to do my best and succeed. I have a dream to become one of pioneers in public health, so each day of this fellowship was an opportunity to take a step further towards my dream.

What are your future goals?

I am planning to do a PhD in molecular epidemiology, and I will continue my journey in searching for new opportunities and challenges.

What were your major contributions during the fellowship?

I believe that I made a lot of contributions during a short period of time, but my greatest achievement was co-writing and editing the original-draft for three manuscripts that will be published in an international peer-reviewed journals. I think this achievement will be a great documentation of my scientific writing and research skills, and it will open many new opportunities for me in the future. Therefore, I want to express my gratitude for Dr Abdinasir for encouraging me to do that, and supporting me all the way.

What is your takeaway from this fellowship?

Never doubt yourself, be confident, work hard, and seize each opportunity in your life to show your potential since nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.

What were your fun experiences outside the office in Cairo?

Cairo is a beautiful city full of surprises and amazing places, and I was lucky to visit some of these places before the COVID-19 crisis such as the pyramids. Also, I was fortunate to meet amazing people (the other fellows) who became more like family to me, and inspired me in many different ways.

Any tips and suggestions for future fellows?

Be creative, think out of the box, express your thoughts and ideas, and do not hesitate to ask any question because this fellowship is an opportunity for you to learn, so do not waste it.

Working for the WHO Regional Office helped me to explore other sides of my personality that I did not know they were existed. Interaction with public health experts inspired me to continue pursuing my dream, and helped me to grow professionally.