Speaking about the MSc, IHTM Course Director, Professor Proochista Ariana, said,
“This is a course for talented global health change makers. We provide future leaders with a strong foundation to critically engage with the range of evidence informing global health decisions. We also support the development of soft skills in communication, management and teamwork to further enhance the impact our graduates have in their respective contexts. Our graduates work tirelessly across conventional divides to offer creative solutions to persistent global health challenges.”
Impact:
The impact of the MSc goes far beyond the period of study with an international network of IHTM alumni who continue to collaborate and share best practice across cultural and disciplinary boundaries.
In Seychelles, a partnership has been established between the MSc IHTM and the Ministry of Health (MoH). The collaboration was instigated by an IHTM alumna, Sylvie Pool (IHTM 2020), alongside colleagues from the MoH, with the aim of building capacity around research, evidence synthesis and statistics for health policy and evidence-based practice. Sylvie’s dissertation, which formed part of her MSc IHTM, provided the inspiration to set up this collaboration.
Another example of the impact of the MSc is the Oxford Maternal and Neonatal Health (OMNeo Health) initiative bringing together alumni to examine the persistent maternal and neonatal health challenges in Papua New Guinea and Liberia.
A further initiative came about during the COVID-19 pandemic with alumni setting up a network of working groups examining the impact, challenges and experiences of COVID-19 in limited resource settings.
Global reach of IHTM:
This year’s cohort come from 17 countries, predominantly across Africa and Asia. The addition in 2022/23 of students from Burundi, South Sudan, Uganda and New Zealand bring the total to 56 countries represented by students over the duration of the course to date. Students come from very diverse backgrounds and have wide-ranging careers. In 2022/23 these include medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and public health as well as emerging technologies, engineering, pharma, social work and start-ups.
As with previous years, many of our students have overcome significant challenges to pursue their chosen careers and make considerable sacrifices in order to study the MSc. They are inspiring individuals. Below are some of their reasons for joining MSc IHTM.
It’s when I realised that my patients’ deaths are due more to system failures and grave inequalities than they are due to individual disease that I decided to pivot and focus my efforts on building resilient and equitable health systems.
MSc IHTM is growing me as a global health leader, empowering me to critically engage with our status quo and push beyond to achieve the global collective goal of ‘health for all’.” Alaa Dafallah, Medical Doctor, Sudan.
I have worked in evidence synthesis in aid of clinical guidelines development and management algorithms, as well as a sub-investigator in clinical trials in the Philippines. I intend to contribute to generating meaningful evidence on the impact of health interventions in the context of low- and middle-income countries and the MSc IHTM will help me gain the experience that I need to do this.” Johannes, Medical Doctor, Philippines.
My interest is in maternal and child health where Indonesia still carries a heavy burden. I love being able to help my patients get the best possible start in their lives but I now want to help on a bigger scale. I find that the MSc IHTM truly aligns with the areas that I want to learn more in-depth. I believe the MSc will equip me with the required knowledge and skills to achieve my objectives." Nabila, Medical Doctor and lactation consultant, Indonesia.
Before the MSc, I worked as a social worker with MSF in Malawi in a cervical cancer clinic where there was a significant number of women presenting late with advanced disease because they had previously been misdiagnosed. It was based on this experience that I applied to the MSc with the goal of acquiring the necessary skillset to understand and address these challenges.” Daisy, Social Worker, Malawi.
I have closely examined the health system in my country, Nepal, through the experience of working with several governmental and non-governmental health organizations and I want to work towards universal health coverage. I believe that the MSc IHTM will enable me to gain the holistic view of approaching health and develop the leadership skills required to transform the traditional health system in my country.” Sophia, Medical Doctor, Nepal.
As a pharmacist, I have witnessed first-hand the limitations of the health system in Sudan, which has motivated me to pursue a career in public health. My work experience in both humanitarian and developmental settings has inspired me to understand more about the reality of navigating public health challenges within resource-limited contexts, and the IHTM course provides exactly this required knowledge as well as the necessary skills for addressing them."
Hams, Pharmacist, Sudan.
I chose the MSc IHTM because of the research-based teachings on global health challenges and the emphasis on potential solutions in resource-limited settings.”
Seun, Medical Doctor, Nigeria.
I am very passionate about malaria and neglected tropical diseases for which I have treated many patients. I hope MSc IHTM will give me the knowledge and skills that are necessary to create more knowledge on malaria and neglected tropical infectious diseases through research. This could go a long way in informing health policies.” Samuel, Medical Doctor, South Sudan.
I spent 5 years working with the community, grassroots organisations, international donors and the state and national government to make healthcare accessible to marginalised community groups. The Aspirational District Transformation Program of the Government of India, and Anamaya – The Tribal Health Collaborative, were the two major programs I was associated with. Having experienced the need for intersectional approaches in recognising and developing solutions for health challenges in marginalised communities, I joined the MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine.” Ashish, Public Health Practitioner, India.
Before joining MSc IHTM, I worked to ensure health and wellbeing in remote pockets of India. I want to study the MSc to build a holistic understanding of Health systems and contribute towards building a healthy society.” Shuma, Engineer and Public Health Management, India.
