Doctoral student Annie Jonnergård on finding her path in academia
For Annie Jonnergård, being a doctoral student is a little like being self-employed. You are responsible for shaping and advancing your own project, with a great deal of freedom. To make it work, you need a sense of belonging and relationships that last.
Halfway through her doctoral education, her days shift between analysis, data collection, courses, conferences, and writing. To bring structure to an otherwise almost boundless workday, she has established fixed routines – such as scheduling a regular coffee break with other doctoral students.
“It may sound simple, but it makes a big difference. It reminds me that I’m not doing all of this on my own,” she says.
Growing through challenge
As a doctoral student, she has noticed that development often happens in moments of uncertainty.
“It’s uncomfortable to be at the edge of what I can manage, but that’s also where I grow. And I manage it because of the support around me – from other doctoral students and from my supervisors,” she says.
Annie is carrying out her doctoral project at the Institute of Health and Care Sciences and the Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC). The project aims to develop an educational module in person-centred care for students from different health professions, with the goal of co-creating shared learning activities together with students, teachers, and people with lived experience.
“When we talk with each other, not just about each other, something happens – both in how we see things and in how we understand the bigger picture.”
Finding her place
When she first started at the Sahlgrenska Academy, she quickly realized how large and complex the academic faculty is.
“I didn’t understand the structures right away, but I was invited early into important forums, such as the doctoral student council. That made a big difference for me.”
She also realized that there are real opportunities for doctoral students to influence how the doctoral education develops.
“It means a lot that we don’t just move through the program but can actually help shape it. Being listened to, understanding how things fit together, and having the chance to contribute makes you feel genuinely included,” she says.
Annie trained as a physiotherapist at Karolinska Institutet and worked for several years with patients who had traumatic brain injuries – often young people whose lives had changed in an instant.
“They were very powerful encounters. Existential, in a way I wasn’t prepared for. The work demanded a lot of me, and it raised questions about how we meet people in the healthcare system.”
Looking ahead in research
It was far from obvious to her that she would pursue a PhD. The door to research opened through her master’s studies and a position as a research assistant at GPCC.
“I had never seen myself as a doctoral student, but people around me recognized my potential. That meant a lot in helping me dare to try.”
Looking ahead, she hopes to do a postdoc abroad, but for now her focus is on everyday work.
“There are highs and lows, but I have strong support and it feels meaningful,” she says.