Sarah graduated from the Master of Public Health in 2019.

Why did you choose to study public health? 

I was working as a junior doctor in the Emergency department at Royal Darwin Hospital, and it felt like a revolving door – patching people up and sending them back out into the world, to the same conditions that were making them sick in the first place. I wanted to think more broadly about health and understand how we might be able to improve outcomes and prevent people from needing to come to hospital so often!

Why did you choose to study through Menzies?

I chose Menzies because of its commitment to Indigenous health and partnership with communities across the NT, as well as the focus on the social determinants of health. I wanted to learn with and from people with different backgrounds and experiences to my own. Also, the flexibility of the degree, allowed me to fit my studies in around other commitments and choose subjects that would be useful to me. Being able to study online meant I could continue my studies whilst working in different locations from Darwin to remote communities to Hobart!

What were the highlights of your studies with Menzies?

Being able to learn from leading experts in a range of fields, from health policy to communicable diseases, research methods and Indigenous health care. Studying with people who have a deep commitment to improving health and wellbeing outcomes for Indigenous Australians and to reducing health inequalities through the work that they do. Also being able to complete a research thesis in an area directly relevant to my work and interests was a highlight!

Has your public health qualification opened up career opportunities?

It has certainly made me a more rounded doctor, and I continue to develop and use the skills I learnt through the MPH in both my roles as a clinician and in higher education.

What is your role now?

I work part-time at the University of Tasmania medical school and have also just started working again as a GP for an Aboriginal community-controlled health service in the NT.