Participants of the Ethnographic Participant Observation Training for Qualitative Study workshop, organized by the Faculty of Medicine of Diponegoro University (Undip) through the Diponegoro Medical Science Center (DMSC), took part in a hospital tour and field observation at Diponegoro National Hospital on Wednesday, 25 February 2026. This activity formed part of the practical learning component on participant observation methods in qualitative health research.
On this occasion, the session was guided by dr. Rebriarina Hapsari, M.Sc., Sp.MK(K), Head of the Clinical Microbiology Study Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Undip. The activity also constitutes part of the INTERCEPT study (INTerrupting prolifERation of Carbapenem resistance in Indonesia: clinical and genomic Evaluation of Pathways of Transmission), a collaborative research project between Undip and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM).
The hospital tour was led by the Head of Hospital Development, Intani Fiska Marterasari, S.Kep., Ners., M.Kep., and accompanied by workshop facilitator Russell Dacombe, PhD, Senior Research Associate at LSTM. He provided guidance to participants on conducting observations within healthcare service settings. Through this activity, participants were invited to directly observe the dynamics of hospital services and to understand various aspects of interaction occurring in healthcare practice.
During the visit, participants conducted observations across several hospital units, including the Outpatient Department, Inpatient Wards, Hemodialysis (HD) Unit, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (PICU/NICU), Emergency Department (ED), Radiology Department, and Laboratory Services. Observations were carried out using instruments developed during the previous training sessions.
Russell Dacombe, PhD, expressed a positive impression of Diponegoro National Hospital, describing it as “remarkable—a teaching hospital that continues to grow and keep pace with technological advancements.” He also highlighted the hospital’s advanced medical facilities, such as MRI and mammography services, which support the delivery of optimal patient care and high-quality services.
This activity applied a participant observation approach, whereby participants observed while simultaneously documenting processes, interactions, and the social context within healthcare practice. The hospital tour provided hands-on experience in applying ethnographic methods in health research through direct field observation.
The Ethnographic Participant Observation Training Workshop was held over three days, from 24 to 26 February 2026. In addition to field observation activities, the training included sessions on the fundamentals of qualitative research, ethnographic concepts, data collection techniques through interviews and observation, as well as qualitative data analysis.
Through this program, participants are expected to enhance their competencies in conducting ethnography-based qualitative research, enabling them to produce more comprehensive and insightful studies in the field of health.
(Public Relations of Diponegoro National Hospital)
