Iman Ghosh
Iman Ghosh completed her Master's in Public Health at Warwick in 2019. We caught up with her to find out what she thought of the course and her advice for applicants.
Why did you decide to study Public Health?
Being in clinical practice for several years in India, I decided to move to the UK in 2018. While choosing a new career option in the UK, I found that Public Health could be one of the best options where I could work as a healthcare professional and utilise my knowledge of health science.
What made you choose the University of Warwick?
I chose the University of Warwick because of its module structure. There is a wide range of optional modules and students can decide to choose one based on their interests. Moreover, the assessment is based on the assignments at the end of each module, which is very helpful for students who are willing to start a full-time study after some years' break.
What has been your favourite part of the course? Did you have any favourite modules?
I came from a different educational setting and I found the whole course quite interesting. Group discussion/group work were my favourite part of the course. It not only helps you to evaluate your understanding but also you can come across different opinions and challenges from your fellow classmates.
Initially, I found Epidemiology (Design, Analysis and Interpretation & Statistics and Epidemiology) quite interesting because of its clinical implications, but, with the progression of the curriculum, I found the ‘Social Determinants of Health’ module was more interesting as well as important.
Were there any challenges?
Being an international student, the first challenge I faced was to understand the teaching and assessment system such as access to Moodle, Tabula, referencing methods, etc. With assistance from academic and non-academic staff, I overcame this very soon. Next, I opted for research-based modules without prior research experience. Therefore, I faced difficulties while writing the assignments. The professors provided outstanding support to clarify all the doubts even after completion of the module. Moreover, there was excellent support and encouragement from the personal tutor throughout the course.
What skills do you think you’ve developed during the course?
I definitely developed many skills during the MPH course. As I didn’t have any prior experience of research, I feel understanding research methodology and the concept of critical appraisal were the most important skills I gained. Apart from that, I also gained the knowledge of health need assessments for a population and public health process evaluation.
How do you think the MPH will benefit you in your career moving forwards?
Public health is a multidisciplinary subject. A master’s degree in public health widens your career options in the future. It will allow me to work as a (public) health researcher, health professional (consultant) as well as a health administrator. Based on my career interest, an MPH could help me secure a position at prestigious international health organisations such as WHO, UNDP etc.
What are you planning to do next?
Currently, I am working as a research assistant at Warwick Medical School and looking for a PhD opportunity as I am interested to work as a public health researcher with an emphasis on the improvement of oral health.
What advice would you give to someone considering studying Public Health at Warwick?
The University of Warwick is full of opportunities and resources. Studying Public Health at Warwick will be an excellent choice because of its exceptional campus life, chances to improve your skills (Eg writing sessions at the main campus and IT training at the science park, events at the Students' Union, etc) and most importantly, continuous support from the academic staff.
The main piece of advice I want to share is to do some initial research on ‘public health careers’ before considering studying Public Health. This is because public health is a multi-disciplinary subject and Warwick has a lot of module options depending on an individual’s career choice. Warwick is full of learning facilities. If you are a dedicated learner, your time at Warwick will be your best period.
