Indian Student
Ajesh gains international exposure 
Story by Shannon Irwin, Communications Officer,
Cooperative Programs Unit.
Cooperative Programs has brought international exposure for Indian born, University of Western Sydney (UWS) Masters graduate, Ajesh George.
Having completed studies in Dentistry in India, Ajesh enrolled in a Master of Public Health at UWS, which he completed in 2002. During this time, Ajesh also participated in Cooperative Programs' Summer Research Awards.
Working with the clinical nursing research unit at the Nepean Hospital in the Wentworth Area Health Service, Ajesh researched variations in the attitudes of nursing staff treating patients and the patients themselves, as they underwent treatment for cancer. His project resulted in two international journal publications, one written in collaboration with Western Area Health Services, titled " Positive attitude in cancer: Patients' perspective" , published in the prestigious Journal of Oncology Nursing in the United States.
" My project used a qualitative descriptive approach to describe what it means to be positive as a patient undergoing treatment for cancer. In all there were eleven cancer patients in the sample, both male and female, ranging in age for 38 to 71 years and who were being treated a t a specialist cancer clinic in a large metropolitan hospital in Sydney for a variety of cancers," said Ajesh.
" I concluded that it was important for the patient with cancer to be positive for the present rather than the future. I also found that nurses needed to inspire and support patients to be positive and not to force their own value system on them, nor treat them differently if they did not conform to societal expectations to be positive and optimistic for the future," said Mr George.
Two years down the track, Ajesh is now a permanent Australian resident and obtained ongoing employment as a Research Assistant with Nepean hospital. He is currently working on a third journal article and considering PHD study.
" The Cooperative Programs project helped me immensely while I was studying for my Masters in Public Health. Since my project, which involved the improvement of cancer care to patients, was related to public health, I was able to put into practice the skills I had acquired during the course. The program opened my eyes to the different avenues I could pursue using my degree. The project also enabled me to get two articles published in well known international journals. This would never have been possible otherwise. Furthermore, I was offered a job by my employer which helped me to continue my stay in Australia. I will always be grateful to the Cooperative Programs for providing me with this opportunity. I will never forget it, thank you," said Ajesh.
About Cooperative Programs at UWS
Cooperative Programs at UWS links successful organisations to outstanding UWS students from a wide range of disciplines. Cooperative Programs arranges for students to work on a project in an organisation and takes care of the recruitment, selection, and student insurance. Students are also trained in Project Planning and Business Communication and Report Writing.
International and Australian students enrolled in Bachelor and Master degree programs at UWS are eligible to apply for a Cooperative Programs placement. Application process is competitive and students must demonstrate a strong academic performance at UWS.
For more information on the available projects and selection criteria click on the Current Student section of the UWS website then choose Cooperative Programs Projects. For more information please see Careers & Cooperative Education: Placement Programs.
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For further information contact:
Study Abroad and Exchange Officer
UWS International
University of Western Sydney
Locked Bag 1797
Penrith South DC NSW 1797
Australia
Tel: +61 2 4736 0928
Fax: +61 2 4736 0922
e-mail: studyabroad@uws.edu.au
