It was whilst working as a dentist that Nova discovered her passion for public health. Following some hard-hitting voluntary work, she decided to focus on education and prevention as opposed to curing disease, and is now looking forward to delving into this in her MSc at the University of Limerick. 

• Name: Tamara (preferred nickname: Nova)

• University: University of Limerick

• Course: MSc Public Health

• Talent: Nova can sing in English, Bengali and Hindi!

 By Lauren Valentine

Get to know Nova

“I’m a registered dentist from Bangladesh. After graduating from the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh, I worked for two years in a private dental chamber. I’m a bit of a workaholic: if I want to work, I work like a machine, but when I rest, I’m like a seal - I just lie around! One of my passions is sketching, which is a form of meditation for me when I’m feeling demotivated or deflated. I’m also fascinated by food and cooking and love trying different cuisines. We use lots of herbs and spices here and have some unique recipes like beef pickle, which takes a lengthy 15 days to prepare! Herbs and spices are also great for their natural health benefits, so I take them as natural remedies.  

Our country is really homely: people who visit feel settled within a week as the people here really make you feel like a family member. I’m proud of our one-of-a-kind culture too, especially festivals such as Bengali New Year in April. We all wear traditional Bengali dress and make up, and it’s an opportunity to celebrate and get really close to the culture. That’s why I love my country - the culture and traditions are so rich.” 

 A passion for Public Health 

“During my second year of dentistry, we looked into the dental aspect of public health and I got a really good score because I was so interested in it. Public health is very much about preventing problems and diseases before having to cure them. I started to think beyond dentistry and into exploring more aspects of public health, so I spoke to my teacher who gave me a great insight into it. I’d love to become a health educator so I can help people to improve their lifestyle. It’s a really important role in society: you need to spread valuable information about maintaining a healthy lifestyle in order to bring about change in the community.” 

Finding true purpose through voluntary work

“I have a passion for volunteering and have done several free dental checkup campaigns in deprived areas in and around Dhaka. These were arranged by my dental college through different agencies or universities with links to the communities. They’d ask for volunteers to come and do checkups on people who don’t have any dental education or cannot maintain their dental hygiene. Our role was to educate them, check their condition and do basic treatment that can be done without a power supply. I’ve done lots of tooth extractions where people have been suffering for months, so we’d extract and give them pain relief. 

The bonus of volunteering is that we get to enjoy the natural beauty of the remote areas. They’re very fresh and calm compared to the busy cities. It really is a divine experience. When I help somebody and try to take away their pain and then they give us blessings the feeling is priceless. In fact, that’s what taught me the true meaning of being a doctor. I realised what a noble profession I’m in.”

First impressions of Ireland

“Although I’m a little anxious about accommodation and travelling abroad alone, I’m really excited to travel to Ireland, especially Limerick. I’ve heard lots about the food markets and the historical aspects of the city. The University also has a very good reputation for cutting-edge research and high graduate employment rates. Oh and the campus! It’s breathtaking! 

The administration team at UL are always so helpful when I’m confused. They reply right away, which is why I already love this university. I’ve also met lots of students at UL through the CampusConnect app. They’re mostly international, but some Irish students too. I’ve also been speaking to Irish people on social media, which has given me a great impression of the country.”

It’s clear to see that Nova is brimming with excitement about her upcoming experience at UL, and she doesn’t have long to wait. “I’m hoping to come over on the 4th of August, but it all depends on the availability of international flights.” She’s already in love with the country, and is even envisioning herself working there after graduating!