The good, the bad and the ugly: Reflections on obtaining a PhD in Healthcare Systems Design amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract This paper presents a reflection on the experience of obtaining a PhD degree in Participatory Healthcare Systems amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper first introduces the PhD research and how the methodology was adjusted during the pandemic. Then, the reflections are presented considering the benefits/advantages (the good), the barriers/difficulties (the bad) and the struggles (the ugly). The topics presented show that positive aspects were overshadowed by the emotional burdens and increasing limitations of data collection and study design. Learnings from this experience indicate that designing a more resilient methodology that integrates creative methods, supporting PhD students to pause the research, fostering a culture of care that rethinks what a successful PhD is, and a greater focus on the Mental Health of PhD students is advisable.