Beshayer Alrum

I joined the School of Health and Related Research in January 2019 to pursue my ambition to improve the lives of emergency medical care providers, and especially those who work in non-Western regions.

In my PhD, I am exploring ways to adapt existing interventions that help EMS personnel mitigate or manage the effects of posttraumatic stress to fit the local context of the United Arab Emirates, where little research has been done in this area. I aim to better understand the strategies and pathways that shape effective interventions for reducing posttraumatic stress among this group of professionals. This will, in turn, mitigate staff members’ risk of developing adverse mental health conditions, helping them to remain in their jobs.

I obtained my master’s degree in health policy from City, University of London and a bachelor’s degree in emergency medical services from the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai in partnership with HACC University in Pennsylvania, United States. In my master’s thesis, I explored the factors that contribute to high levels of occupational stress and burnout among emergency department healthcare professionals through a systematic literature review.

My work experience includes working as a paramedic for almost five years at Dubai Ambulance and later as a clinical supervisor for three years at the same organisation. I am very passionate about my research because it is related to my personal experience, and hence, I view my work as a problem-driven research.

Research Title:

Tailoring interventions to reduce or prevent posttraumatic stress symptoms amongst emergency medical service personnel in the United Arab Emirates: A qualitative study