MSc in Surgical Science and Practice

MD, General Surgeon

MSc in Surgical Science and Practice Student / Incoming DPhil (PhD) Student

Mariana Dorea is a surgeon from Belém in the Brazilian Amazon completing her MSc in Surgical Science and Practice with an interest in improving access to surgical care for children born with cleft lip and palate.

During her undergraduate training, Mariana worked in the only cleft service in the Amazon region and witnessed the consequences of delayed access to care. 'While the first cleft surgery should ideally take place between three and six months of age, many children in the region undergo their first procedure at four to six years old. By that point, delays can have significant nutritional, respiratory, and psychological repercussions,' says Mariana.

These experiences shaped her research ambitions in both the MSc and as an incoming DPhil student. Her DPhil will explore where geographic, social, financial, and systemic barriers arise along the healthcare pathway and how these barriers can be addressed to improve timely access to surgery. Taking a systems perspective, she aims not only to understand delays, but to design solutions that could be replicated in other underserved regions globally.

Mariana credits the MSc in Surgical Science and Practice with refining her research focus and building the confidence needed to pursue doctoral study. The MSc programme’s integration of surgical science, healthcare systems, and quality improvement helped her see surgery as part of a broader system: “It was like a puzzle. Each module fit more pieces together in my understanding of surgical pathways and the healthcare system”.

The MSc was also pivotal from a practical standpoint. Through academic writing assignments and exposure to research methods such as literature reviews and meta-analysis, she developed the skills required to approach prospective supervisors and prepare a competitive DPhil application. Engaging with faculty across modules, including global surgery and clinical education, further shaped her proposal and future direction.

Mariana was also struck by the culture of openness and approachability she encountered at Oxford. Coming from Brazil, she had imagined a more distant academic environment, but instead found a supportive and welcoming community that encouraged her to aim higher.

Looking ahead, Mariana hopes to pursue a clinical academic career in plastic surgery. Her long-term ambition is to establish a plastic surgery service in Belém, where there is currently no formal training pathway in the specialty. By strengthening surgical capacity locally, she hopes to create a model that could be adapted for other low- and middle-income settings. For current MSc students, or others, considering a DPhil, her advice is simple: use the opportunity to connect with inspiring faculty and explore what you are truly passionate about. 'A doctoral degree,' she reflects, 'should be more than an academic title. It should be a way of making meaningful change for your community.'

Through her work, Mariana exemplifies the MSc programme’s commitment to advancing surgical science while strengthening health systems and expanding access to safe, timely care worldwide.