Why you chose to pursue a Master of Public Health?

" I am more interested in health behavior change on a population level rather than individually. I have always seen the importance of prevention and believed that it is the key to a health nation. The MPH program seemed like the perfect training I needed to work in the field that I am interested in, so I went for it."

Favourite MPH course and why:

Favorite course is a toss up between health policy and social determinants of health. In the policy class, we examined health related public policy in Canada, and the course really showcases the strength while points out the shortcoming of the Canadian policy environment. For people interested in health policy, this class definitely gives us an idea of where improvement is needed in Canadian health policies. Social determinants of health is the core of public health. I love the discussions among the students, and Beatriz is so knowledgeable in this area, so it was great learning from her and everyone else in the class.

What your MPH experience taught you:

Being in the MPH program, I gained not only knowledge and skills useful in the workforce, but also recognize the importance of many soft skills, like communication, time management, team work, etc. In addition, another important lesson through the program is actually to build a network of mutual learning. I think everyone in our class had their own experiences and expertise. Because everyone is willing to share their knowledge, it was really easy to ask each other questions, and learn together, which is something that I really enjoyed through the MPH program.

Current Employment:

Project Coordinator, Surgical Oncology Program under Clinical Programs and Quality Initiatives, Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto

How your MPH is contributing to your career path & life success:

I think being in the MPH program has given me the vision of the bigger picture, which is very important for anyone in the health industry. Even though my current job is not in the health promotion field, I still recognize how my job contributes to the wellbeing of the population and the bettering of the health care system. Therefore, the big picture is an extremely important motivation at work for me, and the goal of improving population health and the public health care will continue to be a drive for me wherever I might work later in my career for sure.