College of Social Sciences & Law

Aaron Koay
UCD School of Sociology

The Patrick Clancy Medal and Prize 2022

Before I came to UCD, I...

qualified as a pharmacist and started practising in community pharmacy. However, I recognised very early on that the biomedical and clinical training I had – as comprehensive as it was – was insufficient to understand and address the structural drivers of (ill) health and health inequities, such as race, migration, gender and class. Therefore, I decided to take a rather sharp turn in my career to pursue an MSc in Comparative Social Change, with the view to better understand the workings of societies at large and how they shape the advantages and disadvantages we experience in life.

My UCD experience has been...

very international. During my time at UCD, I met a bunch of friends and colleagues from all around the world, which not only enriched my social life but also enhanced academic exchanges in the classrooms by bringing in diverse perspectives and experiences.

At UCD, I learned to...

think independently and critically. The course provided a range of opportunities for critical discussions in the classrooms, which were challenging but they enabled me to engage with the materials at a deeper level.

The highlight of my time at UCD has been...

completing my MSc dissertation. As challenging as it was, conducting an independent research project – from conceptualization to write-up – was very intellectually fulfilling. My dissertation, which focuses on understanding why there was a delay in deploying community pharmacy in the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, grew out of an essay I wrote in class and drew inspiration from my professional experience as a pharmacist. My supervisor and I are now turning the dissertation into a peer-reviewed journal article, which is very exciting.

My postgraduate and occupational plans include...

completing my PhD programme. I am currently enrolled in a PhD programme at the Institute for Global Health, University College London. My PhD research seeks to operationalise intersectionality in global health policy and governance, focusing on non-communicable diseases.

Have you any message you would like to pass on to the person/ people who supported your scholarship?     

As someone who did not start their career off in social sciences, this prize did come as a very pleasant and welcome surprise. I am truly and immensely appreciative of the prize and recognition. I will bring my learnings and insights from sociology forward into my career in global health policy and governance, in the hope of advancing policies and strategies to tackle health inequities.