2014-02-24

Over the years, our international faculty havehelped us improve the quality of education and research at SUMC. Their dedication demonstrates the truth that education should be borderless. Recently, an interviewed was conducted with one of our international faculty members, Dr. SimaSarvari, who had spent many years in UK and Russia before teaching in China.

Dr. Sarvari,Iranian, grew up in UK and graduated from the State Medical University in St.Petersburg, Russia. After graduation, she returned to the UKto volunteer with the Red Cross and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. She came to China in 2008, and joined SUMC in 2011. For over the past 13 years, she has been active in the field of education and teaching.

Dr. Sarvaribecame interested in China as early asthe mid-1980s when her father, an established engineer and accomplished businessman, returned from a business trip to China. He brought back home many pictures of the places of China he had visited and in his suitcase were many souvenirs,e.g. hand painted silk fans and Jade jewelry. This ignited her interest in this far away foreign land - China.Many years later, her interest was rekindled when she attended a number of facultative courses in ‘Chinese Traditional Medicine’ at the State Medical University in St.Petersburg.Afterwards, the 2008 Olympics was a great opportunity for her to visit China, and since then Dr. Sarvari has been working in academic fields in China. “I’m mesmerized by the pace of life here, having learnt many things and gained a broader view of the Chinese way of life and culture,” she says. In return, she has been active in the community. In 2010 she received the Provincial Friendship Award (Lushan) of Jiangxi Province in recognition of her remarkable contributionto education of Jiangsu.

At SUMC, Dr. Sarvari teaches Medical English, Clinical Skills, and mentorsfourth-year students as part of the pre-training for their clinical electives abroad. She is also active in SUMC’sfaculty development and training programs. Dr. Sarvari also teaches in the English Clinical Case Faculty Clubs based at the SUMC’S affiliated hospitals. She enjoys teaching, mentoring and interacting with the students here at SUMC, and finds her responsibilities and duties as part of the faculty here as fulfilling and mentally rewarding.She also finds interacting with the many doctors, many of whom well established in their careers, as both a learning opportunity and a humbling experience.

Dr. Sarvaricares much about her students’study and life,and in return, she establishes good relationships with the students. “The first year students in the English-based medical program findMedical English quite challenging and the ‘terminology’ very difficult, but by the time I meet them again during their second and third years as one of their Clinical Skills Instructors, I find that the Medical terminology they learnt during their early years at university have helped them to better tackle and understand the medical books and articles they come across,” she says. “I mentor them again in the fourth year as part of the pre-training they receive before they are sent abroad for their clinical electives, the students by this time become more confident and better skilled in their chosen professions.I enjoy meeting up with them again after their return from their clerkships to find out about their experiences in a foreign country,” she adds.

Dr. Sarvariis also active in our volunteer activities to provide aid to the needy and have jointed a number of field trips to the small and remote villages around Shantou since her time here. Although she does not speak the local dialects and her Mandarin is not understood by many of the kids and older folks, she tries every way to help. For example, she uses body language and games to teach children how to ‘brush their teeth’ and use the ‘toothbrush’ properly and take care of their oral hygiene. The kids find the interaction both amusing and educational.

During her spare time,Dr. Sarvaritries to improve her ‘basic’ Chinese proficiency, and likes trying out the many different types of Chinese food that are available here, but she does admit that as a vegetarian, it is sometimes difficult to find the right combination of food to eat as the Chinese love to add ‘meat’ to everything they cook! She likes seafood though and finds Shantou a great place to try a variety of seafood delicacies.In addition, she also enjoys goes hiking and exploring the scenic spots.

When asked about her dreams, Dr. Sarvarisays, “I hopeI can continue to be a source of inspiration to my students and in the process also learn and increase my knowledge and understanding of China; travel more around the vast country and learn more about the Chinese people and their different cultures; and one day be able to speak Chinese fluently.”

We are deeply impressed by Dr. Sarvari’s love for her students and teaching work as a foreign teacher here as well as her dedicated contribution to SUMC.