UNAIR NEWS – A team of students from the Faculty of Medicine at Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR): Garnis Latifah Hasturani, Najwa Nezalfi Putri, and Made Pranindia Anjani, secured an award at the prestigious International Medical Student Research Conference (IMRC) 2025. The international event, held on December 13–14, 2025, focused on the theme “Sustainable Healthcare: Integrating Medical Innovations for Sustainable Development Goals.”
IMRC 2025 featured five competitive categories: Basic Research, Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Public Health, Medical Education Research, and Clinical Research. The UNAIR team opted to compete in the Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis category, even though two members had no prior experience in this area. The choice was influenced by limited time and situational constraints.
As the sole member with prior experience in systematic reviews, Garnis Latifah Hasturani stepped into the role of team leader for the first time. “We selected the systematic review and meta-analysis category because I was participating in a BBK equivalency program in Taiwan, which made it difficult to pursue other categories. This was the first systematic review for the other two members, and my second overall, also my first time leading a team,” Hasturani said.
Research challenges and limitations
The team encountered major hurdles during the research process, particularly in data analysis. Their meta-analysis required specialized software such as R or Stata. Hasturani, who was based in Taiwan at the time, did not have access to her laptop, while the other team members were not yet confident enough to carry out the analysis independently.
“The biggest obstacle was getting the research started. For the poster, we relied on references from senior students and sought guidance from Dr. Willy,” Hasturani said.
Due to these limitations, the team worked intensively to screen 906 academic papers within two weeks, while simultaneously gathering references for the background section and developing a writing framework. “The preparation was far from ideal and the timeline was tight, which made the process extremely challenging, but we persevered,” she added.
Guidance and support
The team received direct mentorship from Dr. Willy Sandhika, SpPA(K), an oncology specialist and lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, UNAIR. “Dr. Willy was highly supportive and encouraging. He understood our tight schedules with exams and research activities in Taiwan, and even conducted follow-up discussions every three to four days via late-night Zoom sessions,” Hasturani said.
Support from senior students also played a key role, particularly in poster preparation and refining the overall quality of the research.
Meaningful experience
Despite numerous challenges, the UNAIR team succeeded in earning an award at IMRC 2025 with a study focused on lung cancer screening, a priority area in contemporary oncology research.
“This experience was incredibly meaningful for me, especially as it was my first time leading a team through a systematic review and meta-analysis. My teammates were equally motivated and are eager to take part in future competitions,” Hasturani said.
The team hopes their experience will encourage other students to take initiative and pursue international academic competitions. “Don’t be afraid to try, and make sure you prepare thoroughly before entering any competition,” they said.
Author: Saffana Raisa Rahmania
Editor : Ragil Kukuh Imanto
