Programme Coursework

(I changed the spell check on my computer to the U.K. version.  Get used to it.)

Now that I've written a little about my life in Leeds, you may be interested in the actual Master of Public Health (MPH) coursework that I'm doing.  The first module that I'm taking is Foundations of Public Health.  It's a two-month course that covers a variety of topics:

• Determinants of health
• Gender and health
• Health systems
• Health policy
• Resource management (time, policy processes, information, medicine, human resources, etc.)
• Financing for health
• Hospitals in health systems
• Project planning

This may seem incredibly boring to you, but I like it.  My two favorite topics so far have been International Trends in Health Policy and Planning for Health.  It was interesting to learn about public health policies from around the world [which was a particularly interesting discussion during the U.S. government shutdown over the Affordable Care Act] and also learning how to prioritise health programmes.  How do you make budget decisions that will help one group of people (e.g. HIV/AIDS patients) but will take away from another (e.g. mental health patients)?  *Discussions are always in the context of developing countries' health systems.  I finally understand the process of lobbying to stakeholders and why the U.S. government takes forever to pass legislation.  And incredibly, I still want to work in the government - because I feel that I can work with the system and create policy changes that will make a difference in healthcare (internationally and in the U.S.).

The next module is Principles of Public Health, which starts mid-November.  This course will cover:

• Epidemiology
• Health promotion
• Health statistics
• Non-communicable diseases
• Water and sanitation
• Communicable diseases
• Service delivery systems

The two modules, Foundations and Principles, provide the basic knowledge of the health topics.  In January, we begin the optional modules which go more in depth about the issues.  Right now, I'm leaning towards choosing Communicable Diseases, Monitoring and Evaluating Health Programmes, Health Management Information Systems, and International Health Policy.  Health Systems Research Methods is another compulsory class that starts in January.  And of course, there's the dissertation research paper that's due in August.

I think it's safe to say that my blog posts are going to become very sporadic soon.  We've already finished one paper (a short 6-pager) but tomorrow we're getting assigned a major project (worth 70% of our grade).  After researching and writing all day, I don't really feel like blogging.  Plus, my blog posts topics are running a little thin.  Anyway, I'll definitely write if something exciting happens, i.e. social gatherings (not snakes).

Went out to eat for Chinese food after submitting our first assignment.  Good times.  :)