From student to leader: How my MEPI Network changed my career

Today, as I work at the University Medical Center Rostock and lead AI and evidence synthesis projects, I can trace almost every major opportunity to one thing: my MEPI alumni network.

The moment it clicked

I remember sitting in a lecture at the University of Antwerp during my Master’s in Epidemiology, wondering how I would build a career in global health. I was an international student with big ambitions but no clear roadmap. What I didn’t realize was that the most important career moves wouldn’t come from job postings or formal applications – they would come from the people I met, the connections I made, and the network I built over those years.

How it started: Building connections as a student

During my master’s degree, I made a deliberate choice to stay active. I attended conferences, connected with professors on LinkedIn, and said yes to exchange programs. One of the best decisions was my exchange at Maastricht University.

That exchange wasn’t just about learning new methods; it was about meeting Professor Leonard Wee and other senior scientists who study clinical data science and causal inference. I stayed in touch with them and had informal coffee conversations. I asked questions. When I finished my degree, one of those conversations led to a research assistant position before I even completed my Master’s thesis.

The lesson? You don’t have to wait until graduation to build your career. Your network starts now.

The most important career moves didn’t come from job postings or formal applications—they came from the people I met, the connections I made, and the network I built.

Build a network before graduation

I was active on LinkedIn during my studies, not in a pushy way, but through genuine engagement with research, sharing what I was learning, and connecting with other epidemiologists and health researchers.

This visibility mattered more than I expected. When I was still a student, I was invited for several interviews and opportunities in the UK simply because people had seen my interests through my network. That would never have happened if I’d just waited for job applications to open.

The takeaway: Your alumni network spans the entire professional epidemiology community, not just your classmates. Be visible. Be genuine. Contribute.

My Master’s thesis supervisor at UMC Utrecht was Wouter van Amsterdam, a leading researcher in machine learning and causal inference. But he wasn’t just a supervisor. He became a mentor and collaborator.

During my thesis, I connected deeply with the research group at UMC Utrecht and learned causal inference methods that became foundational to my career. More importantly, I built relationships with scientists there who continue to collaborate with me today.

That thesis project wasn’t just academic work; it was the beginning of a long-term professional relationship and my entry into advanced methodological research.

This is how careers are built: One good supervisor becomes a mentor. One thesis becomes a collaboration. One university becomes a network.

One good supervisor becomes a mentor. One thesis becomes a collaboration. One university becomes a network.

Why networks matter more than ever

When I finished my degree, I didn’t return to my home country. Instead, I took a position at the University Medical Center Rostock in Germany, where I now work with Prof. Anna Lene Seidler, leading AI projects focused on evidence synthesis in child and adolescent health.

How did that happen? Through my network. Through conversations at international conferences. Through staying connected with colleagues from Antwerp, Maastricht, and Utrecht.

Today’s epidemiology is not a solo sport. Modern research requires: collaboration across borders, methodological skill-stacking (clinical knowledge + statistics + causal inference + AI), and interdisciplinary teams (physicians, data scientists, biostatisticians, implementation researchers).

You cannot build any of that alone. You need your network.

Five lessons I wish I’d known as a student

Looking back, here are five things I would tell my younger self and any current MEPI student:

1. Your network is your career

The people you meet during your degree will influence where you work, what you research, and the opportunities you pursue. Choose your mentors and peers carefully. Stay in touch.

2. Be proactive, not passive

Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Attend conferences. Reach out to researchers whose work you admire. Ask for coffee chats (even virtual ones). Most people are willing to help if you show genuine interest.

3. Master multiple methods

MEPI teaches you epidemiology, statistics, and qualitative research. But add more: advanced causal inference, machine learning, and data science. The researchers who get hired and funded are those who can combine methods from different fields.

4. Stay in touch, even after graduation

Your MEPI alumni network doesn’t end when you graduate. In fact, it becomes even more valuable. I collaborate today with people I studied with in Antwerp, exchanged with in Maastricht, and worked with in Utrecht. Those relationships have shaped my entire career.

5. Lead with values, not just ambition

I’m particularly interested in health equity, global collaboration, and applying new technologies (like AI) to solve problems in low-income countries. When you have clear values, you attract collaborators and opportunities that align with them. Network toward your purpose, not just prestige.

Your MEPI degree is your foundation. Your MEPI network is your future.

LOOKING AHEAD: COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY

Today, my work focuses on several areas where I would welcome collaboration with MEPI alumni:

AI in evidence synthesis: How can we use large language models and machine learning to make systematic reviews faster and more transparent? I’m leading a study on AI for individual participant data meta-analyses.

Trial design and causal inference: How do we design better clinical trials and learn what actually works in the real world? I’m working on target trial emulation and causal graphs to make research more rigorous.

If any of this interests you, whether you want to collaborate, discuss ideas, or just stay connected, please reach out.

Global collaboration in health equity: How can we build global collaborations from the Global North to the Global South 

I believe in alumni networks. I believe your network is your net worth. But more than that, I believe MEPI alumni have something special: we’re trained to think about health problems globally, to combine rigorous science with real-world impact, and to work across cultures and borders.

Here’s my ask:

• Stay connected. Use LinkedIn. Attend alumni meetings. Show up at conferences. Those casual conversations turn into collaborations.
• Share opportunities. If you see an opportunity for collaboration, funding, or exchange, discuss it with other alumni. Generosity with knowledge and opportunities builds strong networks.
• Think big. MEPI gives you the skills to tackle pandemic preparedness, to design better clinical trials in resource-limited settings, to lead research that changes policy. Don’t settle for small problems.
• Mentor the next generation. Once you’ve built your career, help students coming up behind you. That’s how the network stays strong.

FINAL THOUGHT

My career didn’t follow a straight line. It wasn’t planned in detail. But looking back, every important turn came through my network. A professor I stayed in touch with. A conversation at a conference. A colleague who became a collaborator. An exchange programme that opened a new opportunity.

Your MEPI degree is your foundation. But your MEPI network is your future.

The students I connected with are now leading research in Tanzania, Vietnam, Peru, and across Europe. We’re stronger because we stayed connected. We collaborate because we trust each other. We share opportunities because we remember where we came from.

If you’re a current MEPI student: start building your network now. It’s the best investment you’ll make.
If you’re an alumni: let’s stay connected. Let’s collaborate. Let’s use epidemiology to solve the biggest health challenges our countries face.

We’re stronger because we stayed connected. We collaborate because we trust each other. We share opportunities because we remember where we came from.