Shefaly Shorey
Nationality:
Singapore
Current Job:
Assistant Professor, Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, NUS
Graduation:
2013
Degree:
PhD
Faculty and Department:
Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies
Undergraduate University:
Curtin University, Australia
Why did you choose to do a PhD?
As a clinician (midwife and a nurse) I saw the unmet needs of new mothers due to early hospital discharge post childbirth. I felt the need of continuity of care for the new mothers in the community settings. I recently had a success with the evidence based project where i published a systematic review on stopping the routine naso-pharyngeal suctioning of newborns after childbirth. Based on the findings the routine suctioning of newborns was stopped at the delivery suite. Seeing how research can inform clinical care, and a nudge from my clinical mentor (Prof Chong Yap Seng), i decided to pursue PhD.
Why did you choose to do graduate education at NUS? If you received offers from other universities, why did you pick NUS?
Well, why not NUS? 🙂 This is the world class University and i always had a dream of studying at NUS. There were no degree in nursing in the past otherwise NUS would have been my choice for the underground degree course too. Learning from the best professors, in the state of the art leaning environment, NUS was the only choice. In fact i was told to choose the easier option (overseas universities that offer PhD with publication), but i wanted to experience the rigor of both research and coursework and hence there were no doubts in pursuing PhD at NUS.
How does graduate school compare to your undergraduate experience?
More fulfilling. It was a holistic learning experience as in addition to academic and research work, i participated in programs such as Graduate conference and held student leadership positions such as Marketing director for the 3rd Annual Graduate Scientific Congress. This gave me exposure to understand various aspects of arranging big events, learning from gradate students from other courses, and importance of effective communication and the team work.
Briefly share about your research or thesis (i.e. dissertation topic for Masters by Coursework students).
For my PhD, I developed a postnatal Psychoeducation programme (PPP) to support community dwelling new mothers. The PPP was delivered via RCT. The mothers who were randomized to intervention group, received the PPP, which entailed a 90 minute educational session in the form of a home visit by the midwife. The programme was well liked by the new mothers. The findings were disseminated in five (x 5) peer reviewed high impact factor top-tired nursing journals.
On hindsight, would you have chosen the same research supervisor for your graduate programme?
Yes
What impact do you hope to have with your research?
I am grateful that my research findings are already translated (developed educational program has been used by the maternity unit of public hospital as well as the Ministry of Family and Health Development ) to support Singaporean parents. I continue to wish that all the research that i am doing currently and will do in future, will be able to make a change in the lives of my research participants (new parents, women and children) that matter.
If you have won any academic prize/competition or been invited to speak at an international conference—share what it is, its significance, and how you worked towards achieving it.
“The following are the awards and selected few conferences i have received/ participated after my PhD:
2021 President award for Nurses for my exemplary contributions to Nursing Profession
2021 The Friend of MSF award for my voluntary work and contributions in supporting new parents during COVID-19
2020 The ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women, Honourable Mention and regional Finalist for my work on Preventive health (Postpartum Depression among new mothers).
2020 NUHS Research Educator Award for developing educational programs for new parents
2020 Invited expert on the advisory panel on parenting by the Ministry of Social and Family health (MSF) in Singapore
2020 Invited conference chair for 8th international Nurse Education Conference
2019 Invited keynote speaker at International Forum of New Collaboration in Advanced Maternal-Child health, held in Tainan, Taiwan
2019 Annual teaching Excellence Award
2018 Invited workshop facilitator at 15th Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference (APMEC) held in Singapore
2018- Executive committee Member of Global Working Group on Salutogenesis (GWG-SAL) (representing Southeast Asia)
2018 Faculty Teaching Excellence Award
2017- Nominated Specialist Adult Educator at Institute of Adult Learning (IAL) Singapore
2017- Nominated Member of the exclusive Institute for Application of Learning Science and Educational Technology (ALSET) group NUS
2017 Outstanding Women in Medical Science Awarded by Venus International Foundation for the
Development of mobile Health App based educational programme for new parents
2017 Invited Keynote speaker, 2nd Annual Women’s Meet-AWM 2017 held in Chennai India
2016 Hitachi Research Fellowship
2016 Invited plenary speaker, 8th Annual Virtual International day of the midwife conference
2015 Emerging Nurse Scholar competitive award by the prestigious Bloomberg (Lawrence &
Bloomberg) Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto
2014 President’s Graduate Fellowship for exceptional promise or accomplishment in
Research, National University of Singapore.
2013 Invited Plenary Speaker, 1st Singapore-Hong Kong Congress on Innovation in
Nursing Practice, Singapore General Hospital.
2013 Outstanding Research Award, 16th East Asian Forum for Nursing Scholars (EAFONS), Bangkok, Thailand”
Share something fun from your graduate journey at NUS.
Being part of the 3rd Annual Graduate Scientific Congress 2013. Meeting and working with like-minded students and guidance from the exemplary faculty was fun and enriching at the same time.
Briefly share a highlight from your graduate school journey.
“I received NUS President Graduate Fellowship for my exceptional promise or accomplishment in
Research, National University of Singapore.”
Share a challenge you faced in graduate school and how you overcame it.
Juggling a life of a mother (My son was in primary school and his PSLE was approaching), a wife, daughter and daughter in law was challenging to start with. But with the family support and time management i managed to overcome these challenges.
How did NUS prepare you for your career?
Everything. I am an academic (on a tenure track) at NUS and my journey would not have been possible if i would not have done my PhD from research intensive University, the NUS.
How did your experiences as a graduate student shape and guide you in your current career?
Exactly as i shared above, the graduate experience has prepared me on how to engage in scholarly activities right from planning the project, seeking grant funds, establishing multi-disciplinary collaborations to publishing in high impactful journals and conferences.
Share something about campus life at NUS that new students would be interested to hear about.
The NUS campus has an aura, something that fills you with the energy to do your level best. It may sound like a cliche but that exactly how i felt during my graduate days and until today when i work here as an academic. Could be that there are many motivated, passionate and driven individuals breathe on this campus:)
Do you have any interesting personal stories to share? For example, about your journey to get into graduate school, personal hobbies/interests.
“Not exactly as you asked with examples. But i have completed my PhD in a record time of 2.5 years. When people ask me how is that possible, it could be multi-factorial but one unique reason was that the data collection for my study took place in the Chinese Zodiac year of the “”Dragon””. As the year is considered a auspicious year, the study venue (hospital where i was collecting data), had a bumper year of new babies. The birth rate almost doubled and that kind of accelerated my data collection as such that i managed to compete the data collection in mere 3 months which was actually projected as a year.
There are few other interesting things happened e.g. i had to miss my sister’s destination wedding as it was arranged on the day of my PQE. Now how that happened is another long story but yes, in the end, i didnt’t attend my younger sisters wedding. These two interesting facts around my PhD i often share wth my own graduate students now:)”
What message would you like to give to students interested in graduate studies in NUS?
“Don’t think twice and start your graduate journey in NUS. You will never regret. You will learn from the best in the best learning environment and hopefully you will be enlightened with self-actualization as i did. My journey as an academic almost immediate after i competed my PhD from NUS is a live example of that anything and everything is possible with hard work, dedication and right support. You will definitely get all the support here at NUS, all you need to bring in (before you start your graduate journey) is right attitude and passion to do your best. Rest all will be great!
Best Wishes!”