Health Systems across the world
Despite the strong shared belief that all human beings have the right to access healthcare, unfortunately, the truth is that this right is denied to many people around the world. Especially in countries with large populations, illiteracy and poverty, the challenge when it comes to health systems is even greater and therefore the role of a public health official is even more critical in areas like these.
Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India said “Institutions have a catalytic role to play and can bring a transformational change. We need to think scientifically about public health. Along with medical doctors, we need to develop in parallel the health management faculty so that we build health systems and institutions that can address problems effectively.”
Nevertheless, is a weak health system problem concerning poor countries only?
Well, looking at the last two years when the whole world was combatting the pandemic our perspective surely changed and made us realize that the condition of the health system across the world has been questioned. Also, the general understanding and importance of the public health system have gained value, making it daily newspapers' headlines. Public health known as an area of study providing many professional job opportunities for those who enjoy helping others has tremendously grown in importance. The shortage of staff, the work pressure, extended working hours, stress, unappreciation are associated with headlines and news we have been observing on daily basis from the comfort of our sofa.
Health Programme Portfolio
There are many programmes dedicated to the field of health. Within our portfolio, we offer health programmes related to public health, infection control, healthcare leadership, nursing, and healthcare management. The Queen Mary University of London’s Masters in Public Health is focused on four areas of expertise: Primary Care and Mental Health, Global Public Health, Women’s Health and Clinical Trials and Methodology.
Studying with Hull University’s MSc Healthcare Leadership you expect to gain the skills and knowledge required to advance in your career as a clinician, leader, or manager. You’ll be taught by our excellent academic team, with a programme built upon real-world experience in leadership roles.
With the University of Essex Online’s Master Infection Control, you will learn how to develop and implement strategies for reducing the spread of infection and take the necessary steps to prevent any future outbreak from occurring.
Considering that each of these programmes is dedicated to a specific healthcare discipline, choosing one that suits our needs is not too difficult. The question here is whether to study health programmes at all. With news and images approaching us daily discussing heavily under-staffed, under-funded, and under-resourced health facilities, finding motivation and committing to dedicating your professional career to the health field can be thought-provoking, to say at least.
When we think of public health in general we mostly mean those on the front end, however, this discipline of studies combines different academic areas for a multidisciplinary approach to the health care field, offering pretty much inexhaustible opportunities for professional specialization.
Why choose to study Public Health
They are as unique as each candidate applying for this discipline. Speaking to health programme candidates you can hear many inspirational stories and amazing experiences that pushed them towards applying for their dream programme of studies. What is remarkable about candidates for public health studies and students is their profound motivation to be able to contribute to changing this world into a better place. If these are not convincing enough, below is a summary of some more down-to-earth reasons to study public health.
- Job guarantee
The need for public health workers is growing each year. Looking at the pandemic time, it seems that there is no limit to the professionals this sector can absorb. Taking into consideration that graduates can find a job right after their graduation, the unemployment rate within the health sector is very low in comparison to other sectors. With more awareness brought to the importance of the sector itself and the people working in it, we can only expect its significance and recognition will further grow in the future.
- Job diversity
The health sector is one of those sectors that provides many opportunities and combines a limitless variety of specializations. You can develop public health policies, create medical care programmes, analyze health statistics, educate, work in an administrative capacity in a hospital, to name just a few. Also, your workplace does not restrict to health institutions or hospitals but may include schools, private companies as well as international organizations in the profit and non-profit sector, and of course governments. With the University of Essex Online’s Master of Public Health, you’ll gain an understanding of key concepts within healthcare and learn the latest best practices, that will equip you with the experience to make a difference in your place of work. You can choose from a range of pathways: public health, infection control, international healthcare management, or nursing.
- Contribution to health research
Medicine is one of these sectors with top investment being put into the research. Medical discoveries, progression of existing developments, and future advancements create numerous opportunities. The sky is the limit and the world is a podium for those most eager, smartest, and persistent researchers. Through the University of Liverpool’s Master in Public Health, which is a top-rated research-based UK university, you will explore key topics within public health such as principles and practice within a global context, as well as methodologies and approaches from an ethical, social and economic standpoint. You will learn to critically appraise the complexities of health and social systems from different stakeholder perspectives and evaluate options for strategy development and programme interventions.
- Ability to help others
This sounds like the most rewarding and motivating reason to study health programmes. The urge to improve health and influence individuals as well as communities, conducting work that is truly impactful and can improve people's lives and change the world are the main factors that in a long run motivate health care students towards accomplishing their goals.
- Being a part of the medical world without a medical degree
While most medical careers require extensive and challenging education paths including graduating from medical studies being resumed by specializations and internships to become licensed medical, the public health sector tends to be less demanding in terms of training. To some of the students studying public health is a mid-life career change after engaging years in jobs that were not bringing enough satisfaction and fulfilment. To many, the fact that even though are not going to conduct an operation on an open heart or work as a paramedic, you still will have an influence on the community and will be able to contribute towards changing the world into a healthier place, is the most convincing factor.
- Solving problems
It is true to say that public health experts are problem solvers. Whether we speak of fighting diseases, developing disease prevention programmes, or identifying risks and initiating steps towards gaining control, predicting, and addressing long-term issues, public health professionals solve problems affecting individuals, communities, and the entire globe. Studying with Brunel’s Master of Public Health online programme, for example, you will acquire a multidisciplinary approach to understanding and solving contemporary health and social challenges by providing you with advanced knowledge of related areas including health promotion, global public health policy, politics, sociology, psychology, and research skills. You can develop public health policies, create medical care programs, analyze health statistics, educate, work in an administrative capacity in a hospital, to name just a few.
- Having a global impact
Public health professionals are those who make a global presence by regulating and administering public policies and international health programmes with the main objective being improving health in developing nations and countries and preventing disease outbreaks. Whether this involves data collection, trends identifications, statistical analysis, developing preventing procedures, or initiating policy changes these are powerful and affect making more or less permanent changes towards improving both communities and societies.
Therefore, if you are looking for diversity, the ability to combine numerous health-related academic subjects, self-fulfilment, and a source of inexhaustible motivation, studying a health programme is worth your consideration. Interesting curricula, variety of topics covered, being able to look at the problem from a more holistic perspective, and the fact that in the end, you are the one who is going to make a lifelong difference impacting both local communities and the global population, are just a few factors yet probably most rewarding reasons determining your decision of pursuing health studies.
References:
Ten Reasons to Study Public Health, Healthcare Management Degree Guide, https://www.healthcare-management-degree.net/list-articles/five-reasons-to-study-public-health/