Tutors are an essential component of any academic programme, providing support to students throughout their studies. They create a stimulating learning environment that encourages students to explore new ideas and think critically, ultimately helping students achieve their academic and professional goals.
At EDU, tutors lead various learning sessions in curriculum topics, which can greatly increase the effectiveness of digital learning. These sessions provide students with the opportunity to interact with their peers and engage in discussions, allowing them to learn from one another and develop a deeper understanding of the material.
One tutor in particular stands out – Dr. Jose Pantaleon Hernández. Dr. Hernández joined EDU as a tutor in 2020, and he brings with him a wealth of academic knowledge and experience. He holds academic qualifications across: Clinical Epidemiology, Public Health, Business Administration, and Teaching. It is no surprise then, that he has become a highly active member of the medical scientific community. He is also a thesis supervisor for EDU’s Bachelor of Medicine students.
But what sets Dr. Hernández apart is the way he brings his research and practical experience into the classroom. His students often remark on how “interesting and helpful” his classes are, as they get to exchange ideas with someone who is still actively researching in the field.
From his perspective, Dr. Hernández also finds great value in bringing his research skills and practical experience into the EDU classroom:
“I am very enthusiastic and passionate about what I do and sharing my knowledge with soon-to-be medical professionals. My experiences conducting medical research mainly in chronic condition, and, especially, in the field of metabolic diseases has ended up in top-tier medical journals. For this, I am grateful, and also thankful to colleagues who have tirelessly worked to make this possible.
My preference of learning is an engaging teaching style aligned with my ability to make complex concepts easy to understand. For the above I use a variety of teaching methods, including interactive lectures, case studies, and group discussions, to help students learn and, more importantly, comprehend the material. Through my dedication to teaching and research I would like to become a highly valuable asset to the medical community.”
Dr. Hernández’s research work is varied and has been published in numerous top-tier academic journals. Previous academic papers include:
- Are Tobacco Policies and Practical Public Health Strategies Fully Aligned in Slovakia so as to Yield Better Cardiovascular Health?
- Body Constitution and Unhealthy Lifestyles in a Primary Care Population at High Cardiovascular Risk: New Insights for Health Management
- Prediction of Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Czech Adults: Normative Values and Association with Cardiometabolic Health
- Association between Systolic Blood Pressure and Diabetic Retinopathy in Both Hypertensive and Normotensive Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Moreover, his most recent publications investigated the changes in body weight and cardiovascular risk factors among a Chinese population with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In one study, weight loss of at least 3% was found to prevent the worsening of certain risk factors, while weight gain of at least 3% tended to worsen these risk factors. A second study by Dr. Hernandez assessed longitudinal changes in blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose in primary care patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus in China, and explored factors associated with the inability to improve these health parameters at follow-up. Said study found that poor adherence to lifestyle advice, unwillingness to enrol in healthcare plans managed by family doctor teams, and changes in body mass index were associated with no improvement in blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose. Dr. Hernandez’s work underscores the importance of weight management and adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviours in the prevention and management of diabetes and hypertension in real-world community settings.
The original publications are available in Frontiers Academic Journal:
- The original publications are available in Frontiers Academic Journal: Changes in body weight and cardiovascular risk factors in a Chinese population with type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Longitudinal changes in blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose among 5,398 primary care patients with concomitant hypertension and diabetes
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Medical tutors such as Dr. Hernández are instrumental in creating a supportive and engaging learning environment that encourages students to think critically and develop a deeper understanding of the medical field.
