1. Masters of Public Health Essay
1. We wouldlike to hear about your relevantexperience sotell uswhat is it you hope to achieve by
the endof the MPH programme and why this is important to you?
My involvementinhealth includesadegree inKinesiology,aninternshipwiththe Heartand
Stroke Foundation,workingasa Unit CommunicationClerkatSt.Joseph’sHospital anddoingvolunteer
researchwithMcMaster’s WHO CollaborativeCenter.Ihave hadexperiencesinlow-income countries
such as HonduraswithHabitatfor Humanity,the DominicanRepublicwithDREAMSandteachingEnglish
for a yearin Nakhonsawan,Thailand. These experiencesintroducedme todifferentwaysof life andthe
kind,welcomingandgenerouspeople wholive daytodayin poverty. While volunteeringwithDREAMS,
a small organizationthatbuildshousesand otherinfrastructure, Iwitnessedhow happythe community
was despite theirchallenges. Idon’twantto bringWesternlife to communitiessuchasthis; there isa lot
Canada couldlearnfrom the Dominicanpeople. Ionlywantto supporttheirhealth,educationand
variousneeds thatwill complementtheirlivesand bringopportunitiestotheircommunityorcountry.
From thisprogram,I hope to achieve the knowledge andpractical skillstoaddresshealthcare
issuesfromthe stemof the problemandobtainthe credentialsto manage,evaluateandimprove
programs. I want to visitthese areasandcontribute tothemwith the same kindnessandgenerosityI
received throughoutmyexperiencesinlow-income countries.
2. Whathave you learnedfrom your work experience thatyou will be able to bring into the classroom
in terms ofinsightsabout health,illness,andPublicHealth?
As a Unit CommunicationClerk atSt.Joseph’s Hospital Ihave witnessthe importance of
infectioncontrol policiesandprocedures.Mypositionrequiresme toscreenall transferredpatientsfor
MRSA and VRE andinputstool testsforany patientwhopresentswithdiarrhea.The hospital hasstrict
isolationprotocolsand handwashingpolicies.Ihave experienced outbreaksof nosocomial infections
and the impacttheyhave on the healthcare system.Thiswinter, the cityof Hamiltonsuffered ablack
statusfor bedsthe entire seasondue tothe inaccurate fluvaccine.Iwitnessedthe healthandfinancial
importance of vaccinationsandthe burdenone inaccurate yearcan have on the systemandthe
community.
I have experience inanumberof differentareasof the Hamilton healthcare systemincluding
communitywoundcare clinics,palliative care,trauma,maternityandpediatrics.Inall of these settings,
the importance of publichealthwasatthe forefront. InCanada,itencompassesanythingfromhome
care nurses,tosupportgroups,to healtheducationinschools.Transitioningpatients fromacute care
intocommunitycare isoftenthe care planobjective.
I will bringtothe classroommy acute care experience andthe importance of publichealth
programs as a preventative approachtoreduce hospital visits.Thisnotonly improvescostefficiencyfor
the systembutbenefitsthe wellbeingandhappinessof the patientsandtheirfamilies.
3. Tell us about a time whenyou identifiedanew approach to a complexproblem.
Thissummer,I volunteered toworkona nurses’humanresource strategy fora country with
McMaster’s WHO CollaboratingCenter.The Chief NursingOfficerof the country hadpreviously written
a strategyoutliningits nursingneeds,the programstobe implementedandthe evaluationmeasuresto

2. follow.The draftwassupposedtobe instatedyearsago but rests inadministrativelimbo.Iwasinvolved
inthe teamefforttohave the nursingneedsof this country addressed.Itwasdecidedthata new draft
writtenbythe WHO wouldcarry more weightand encourage the Ministryof Health to move the nurses’
humanresource strategy forward.Ibeganthe groundworkfor the researchersbyanalyzingthe Chief
NursingOfficer’spreviousdraftandbringingtogetherhealthstatistics,nursing educationprograms,
nursingqualifications standardsandarticleson the country’s currenthealthcare achievementsand
challenges.Imade atimelineforprojectdeliverablesandanitinerarywiththe stakeholdersthe
researchersshould interview duringtheirfieldworkinthe country. The projectisstill initsearlystages
and cannotbe discussedin full detail however, Iamconfidentthe new draftandthe involvementof the
WHO will resultinthe implementationof the draft’srecommendations.Thisnursingresource strategy
will enhance the efficiencyof the country’s healthcare systemby addressingitsneedtoincrease
communitycare and publichealthprogramsasit facesa rise innon-communicable diseasesandmental
healthconcernsthroughoutthe population.
4. Describe a situation where you got people to work together.How didyou do this and what was the
impact?
Duringa fundraiserforWarChildCanada,the studentclubI wasinvolvedwithwashaving
difficultyraisingfunds.Idecidedtoapproachlocal businessesfor donations.Afteraweek,Idiscovered
fewstoreswere willingtocontribute moneybuttheywere all offering goodsinstead.Iledasub-group
of the clubthat wouldholdasilentauctionwiththe itemsstoreswere donating. We dividedupthe city
and distributed letterheads tobusinessesrequestingcontributions.Mypartners would then
communicate tome the businesses whogave themdonations,werewillingtoreceive afollow-upcall or
had an itemIcould pickup at a latertime.We promotedthe eventviapostersandothermediaandheld
the auctionon an eveningwhenbothstudentsandtheirfamilieswouldbe inattendance. The silent
auctionraised $2,700 and due to the overall successof the War ChildCanadaFundraiser,itisnowan
annual eventatthe school.