Aden Khoo

I always knew that I wanted a future in health, but I was unsure which specific area I wanted to be in. During my Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne, the unique Melbourne Curriculum allowed me the flexibility to explore many aspects of health and science. During this time, I became interested in learning more about how to impact population-level health, which led me to what I am studying now: the Master of Public Health (MPH)!

The MPH program at UniMelb was extremely appealing, not only for its global prestige and consistently high rankings in public health, but also the opportunities offered by the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, and by extension, the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.

The MPH at Melbourne sets itself apart with its high quality teaching and research and focus on getting you career ready. I was drawn to the University of Melbourne’s opportunities to learn from lecturers with diverse and global expertise. In the MPH, you can even undertake a work-based placement to get experience in real-world public health work, as well as the opportunity to travel abroad to experience a rural primary health care setting in India.

I really wanted to learn more about health from a broader perspective, and the MPH program at UniMelb allows you to tailor the course to your interests and build your clinical and/or research skills wherever you seek to apply it. The fact that my learning could be really holistic, local and global really motivated me to take my learning and perspectives of health to the next level.

The Master of Public Health has definitely been a challenging and intellectually stimulating experience. My studies have helped to shift my thinking to see health from a more holistic lens, as something you can apply to all aspects of life, which I feel is an extremely rewarding mindset.

I really enjoy the fact that the MPH allows you to gain exposure in so many areas. You are in control of your learning, and you can choose so many different kinds of subjects. This flexibility has enabled me to balance gaining theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Not only have I developed an understanding of how health systems work across the globe, and the different factors which can influence individual, clinical and population outcomes, I have also gained the ability to analyse health data, to design a comprehensive health program which suits a population’s needs, to work with communities to create health impact, and to conduct evaluations of health programs.

My biggest highlight was definitely going to Jamkhed, India as part of the MPH. This was a 3-week experience where you travelled abroad and experienced global health learning and fieldwork in a rural primary health care setting. I made lifelong friendships and had the experience of a lifetime!

The Master of Public Health has given me skills to work with local communities and even overseas in a global context. The experience I’ve gained from the MPH has also inspired me to consider pursuing clinical studies or research in the future, as it would highly complement the skills and thinking I gained from my studies and allow me to create impact at the individual and population levels.

Don’t be afraid to pursue the Master of Public Health if you don’t come from a science background! The cohort is so diverse, with students from many different discipline areas and countries. You can come from any background to study the MPH at UniMelb, which is so great as you get to learn so much from each other and gain even more out of the program.

My advice is to start by finding an area you might be interested in but also be open-minded. With so many electives to choose from, it can be a little daunting to figure out what subjects to take from the 11 MPH specialisations. Additionally, something I wish I knew earlier was that these specialisations aren’t set in stone. You can take any combination of subjects that interest you, so that you can have an MPH experience uniquely tailored to you!

Finally, the city of Melbourne is a great place to be a student. There is plenty to do, see, and eat! The University of Melbourne is so close to the CBD and exciting suburbs. There is always something to explore by yourself of with friends. The city and the uni are cultural melting pots – it’s beautiful to see all the unexpected connections that can happen!