"The Graduate Certificate in Sexual Health has really reinforced for me the impact that sexual health has on a person’s life. A lot of stigma still exists around sexual health which can be a major barrier to accessing health services and this can be detrimental to a person’s health."
I worked in the emergency department in a hospital for about six years after completing my nursing undergraduate but I had always been interested in sexual health, so I started looking into postgraduate courses.
I wanted to enrol in a course that would give me the skills and knowledge that I would need to be a good clinician and provide comprehensive sexual healthcare.
I was particularly interested in learning about barriers to accessing sexual health services and how I could work to overcome them. I also wanted to get an overview of sexual health around the world. We have a wonderfully multicultural society in Melbourne and understanding global views on sexual health is invaluable to providing the best possible person-centred care.
I currently work as a sexual health nurse at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre. We provide person-centred, evidence-based sexual healthcare with a focus on STI control. I love being part of a team that values diversity and inclusion and works hard to make sure our service is accessible and welcoming to everyone, especially those who experience disadvantage.
Some of the clinicians I work with and admire from Melbourne Sexual Health Centre are involved with the program, so I knew that I would be learning from knowledgeable and experienced teachers.
The Graduate Certificate in Sexual Health has really reinforced for me the impact that sexual health has on a person’s life. A lot of stigma still exists around sexual health which can be a major barrier to accessing health services and this can be detrimental to a person’s health. Diversity, inclusion and cultural safety are important to me and I hope that by learning about why barriers exist, I can develop the skills to help break them down.
I want to be a well-informed and effective clinician and an advocate for better sexual health. I have learned a lot from the coursework but also from the other students sharing personal and clinical experiences. The course has inspired me to work to take the stigma out of sexual health and make sexual health services more accessible to everyone.
Find out more about the Graduate Certificate in Sexual Health