School of Population Health

Student Profiles

Find out what students have to say about their experiences in our programs. Click on the names below to read testimonials about what they enjoyed the most in their coursework and research programs and how it will make a difference to their careers.

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Rachel Karsten

Master of International Public Health (MIDI)

Prior to enrolling into the Masters of International Public Health I volunteered as a nurse and manager of an orphanage in South Africa. My experience during this time motivated me to study further, to extend both my knowledge and skills in the health profession to reach those that are impoverished, vulnerable and suffering the greatest health inequalities. 

Arlita Willman

Arlita Willman

Master of Public Health (MPH) with specialisation in Health Promotion

My main motivation for enrolment in a Master of Public Health at UNSW was my strong interest in public health, as it unites my love of evidence and evaluation with my desire to create sustainable, meaningful change for the better.  I chose to study at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW in particular because there was a great range of electives to choose from.

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Jason Alacapa

Master of Public Health (MPH) with specialisation in Economic Evaluation / Master of Health Management (MHM) (Dual Degree)

I chose to enrol in a degree at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine because UNSW is the only university which offers an innovative dual master's degree of the Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master of Health Management (MHM). Additionally, you can specialise in a specific area of public health that fits your envisioned career. This gives you a branding in three areas - public health, management, and a sub-specialty in public health - thus increasing your overall competitiveness. Another reason why I chose UNSW is its culture of innovation.

Kathleen McKenzie

Kathleen McKenzie

Master of Infectious Disease Intelligence (MIDI) / Master of Public Health (MPH) (Dual Degree)

The reason I decided to enrol in a degree at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine is because after finishing my MSc – Epidemiology I was looking to specialise in infectious diseases and after much research I found that the degree UNSW was offering was the best one in Australia. Staff from the school were very helpful with any questions I had relating to the course which was reassuring.  

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Dr Jaffly Chen

Master of Public Health (MPH) / Master of Health Management (MHM) with Extension (Dual Degree with Research Component)

I decided to study public health and health management because I felt that despite being a clinician and in the privileged position to make a difference in many unwell people’s lives, I was not doing enough on a system-wide level to ensure good health for all. As a clinician, I can have a substantial local impact, however, I have since childhood aimed to have a national or worldwide impact with my work.

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Dr Manoshayini Sooriyakumaran

Master of Public Health (MPH) / Master of International Public Health (MIPH) (Dual Degree)

I wanted to explore my interest in public health and upskill to open up opportunities beyond clinical medicine. UNSW particularly appealed to me because of the flexible studying options for those working full-time like myself, and the variety of sub-specialisations that allow you to tailor your degree to your own interests. It’s great for me to be able to focus on my area of interest – international public health.

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Nikita Bathla

Master of International Public Health (MIPH) / Master of Health Management (MHM) (Dual Degree)

I decided to enrol at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW primarily because it offers a dual degree in both Public Health and Health Management. As a young clinician, I wanted to build a strong theoretical foundation in both fields to ease my transition out of clinical medicine and yet have the flexibility to choose my future career. The dual degree enabled me to truly seek out my interests, develop them and forge my own career path ahead.

Caitlin Swift

Caitlin Swift

Internship; Master of Public Health (MPH) / Master of International Public Health (MIPH) (Dual Degree)

I decided to enrol in the internship program as part of my degree at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine as I was very keen to get some real-world experience in public health to supplement my university Master of Public Health (MPH) / Master of International Public Health (MIPH) studies. I had previously only worked in clinical environments and felt that completing some work experience in a supportive environment would assist me with successfully shifting towards working in a public health environment.

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Preethi Pandalaneni

Internship; Master of Public Health (MPH) with International Health Specialisation

I decided to enrol in the internship because I had been working on the Master of Public Health (International Health Specialisation) through distance education whilst practising as a pharmacist. The internship was a great opportunity to actively engage with the field of international public health by learning and building new skills, networking with professionals working in public health, contribute to projects in the international health sphere and help inform future career decisions. 

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Kathryn Lim

PhD - Antimicrobial stewardship and the role of primary health care within the Australian context

I initially decided to enrol at UNSW because of the unique dual degree offering and the breadth of available courses that I felt would support me in a future career in public health. My positive experience with the School of Public Health and Community Medicine made it an easy decision for me to want to further my research studies with the School.

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