Yohanes Wondimkun

Yohanes Wondimkun calls Adelaide home now, but went to school in southern Ethiopia, and then worked as a lecturer at Haramaya University in eastern Ethiopia before moving to Australia.

He’s now a PhD candidate at the University of South Australia, with his project focused on improving the quality of medicine use among older Australians with diabetes living in aged care homes. “I am nearing the completion of my PhD, and in the process, I have gained valuable skills in research, writing, collaboration.”

He is well on his way to doing that, recently co-authoring an Australian-first study into the use of blood sugar-lowering medications among residents with diabetes in aged care homes.

Yohanes wanted to study in Australia because of an interest in pharmacoepidemiology, which is not taught in many pharmacy PhD programs. His first impression of Australia was of a welcoming country for people from diverse backgrounds, and happily, that impression hasn’t changed. “More importantly, I have to come to learn that people are incredibly understanding, respectful, disciplined and fair”, he says.

His advice for newly minted PhD students: “Have clear vision in one’s life, with unwavering commitment and discipline to achieve that vision. Take time to understand your supervisor’s expectations, familarise yourselves with the team’s standards, and integrate into the team as quickly as possible.” All the best with your PhD Yohanes – we’ll be looking out for your completed thesis.