"Given the remote nature of my work in Antarctica, digital health is incredibly important which is why I was interested in studying the [Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics and Digital Health]."
I was working as the doctor for an Antarctic Station from October 2019 to March 2021. Over winter, due to the weather, the station becomes isolated and it was only me and 26 other expeditioners. Given the remote nature of my work in Antarctica, digital health is incredibly important which is why I was interested in studying the course. I also think health informatics is going to be a very important field in the future.
I chose to study at the University of Melbourne because it is a well-established University with a great reputation. The online only delivery mode of the course was essential as I was unable to attend any activities in person.
I felt that the Zoom tutorials actually worked really well, and the staff were very approachable and personable. They were also very excited about their topics which was great to see. We had a small cohort for most of the courses so even though it was all online, you still ‘met’ people and we could organise our own private study sessions. One of my top tips for online study is to set up a study group with other students so that studying online is a bit of a less isolating experience.
By studying the course, I developed further analytical and presentation skills as well as practical skills regarding the use of different software platforms in health informatics. I use these skills regularly to analyse and present data in my current role. I was hoping to re-acquaint myself with statistical approaches and methods, and the Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics and Digital Health gave a very solid background on this.
I have recently returned from Antarctica after a milestone 501 days on the continent, and I will soon be participating in further study in remote and extreme environments.
Find out more about the Graduate Certificate
in Health Informatics and Digital Health