Summer Studentship 2025-2026: Rachel Lee

1.Can you tell us how you got involved with medical research? 

Throughout my undergraduate degree in podiatry, I’ve always wanted to be part of something that would bring on a positive change to clinical practices. I have had no experience in the research field and knew that participating in this program would be an incredible opportunity to not only expand my knowledge but also bring new information that could benefit people living with diabetes.

2.Your research topic is "Exploring self-reported risk of falls and foot health among Māori and non-Māori older adults at risk of diabetes foot disease: Insights from the DaSH Study." Could you provide a brief overview of the key aspects your study will explore?

My research topic focuses on exploring self-reported risk of falls and foot health among Māori and non-Māori older adults at risk of diabetic foot disease. This project is designed to generate evidence for responsive, equitable, and whānau-centered services addressing sensory impairments, particularly among adults with diabetes for Māori aged ≥40 and non-Māori aged ≥50 across the regions: Northland, Counties Manukau, Tairāwhiti, and Rotorua Lakes District. The focus for this research is to look at the relationship between diabetic foot disease/foot health and the risk of falls in these populations.

3. Can you tell us about your motivation and inspiration for your research?

Diabetes is a growing health crisis in Aotearoa, especially in older adults, with Māori and Pacific populations being disproportionately impacted. I have seen how diabetes affects people’s lives through my experiences in clinical practice. Diabetes-related foot conditions can be debilitating and painful and can reduce an individual’s independence to move freely. Being able to participate in a project that researches this common but understudied component of diabetes was a considerable motivation factor for my research.

4. Can you elaborate on how your research project will positively impact the lives of individuals in Aotearoa living with diabetes? 

This research project will have a positive impact on individuals living with diabetes by identifying possible links and indicators of falls and foot health, which may be used to help prevent falls from occurring in these older adult populations in the present and in the future. Within Aotearoa, our work with Maori and non-Maori populations aims to provide much-needed data about the discrepancies and differences between these populations to inform clinical practice and health policy in NZ.

5. What does it mean to you being selected as one of the five recipients of the Summer Studentships this year? 

I am incredibly privileged to have this opportunity. Being able to not only expand my own knowledge but also help to learn more about the association between foot health and falls risk is an indescribable experience for me. I believe the skills learnt through this project will be extremely useful in my future practice and research to improve health outcomes for all my patients in Aotearoa.

6.The Summer Studentships are made possible thanks to donations to the Diabetes Research Foundation. Please tell us how important these Summer Studentships are to others looking to conduct research? 

These summer studentships are an invaluable experience for any student looking towards conducting research. They give students significant insight into the obstacles and demands of designing and completing a research project. The hands-on experience provided by these studentships helps build the foundations for the critical skills needed to conduct research that will be used throughout our careers.