5 schools tackling global public health concerns

Public health protects us all, whether we choose to see it or not. Doctors may treat those who fall ill, but public health professionals work to prevent them from becoming unwell in the first place. Those working in the sector are determined to minimise human suffering and improve people’s quality of life.

From educating the public about health risks, to ensuring their minds and bodies are in tip-top shape, to complex scientific research; public health professionals administer vaccinations, set safety standards, develop nutrition programs and pass on their knowledge to better the lives of as many people as possible.

But keeping up with the constant and often urgent demands of an aging population, climate change, health epidemics, human conflict and rising healthcare costs is anything but easy.

Action needs to be taken. Do you want to be a part of one of the most important industries on Earth? Studying a public health degree will equip you with all the tools you need to do just that.

The world needs graduates ready to cope with the increasing and complex demands of public health. Universities are preparing students with the skills and knowhow needed to integrate into today’s competitive job market – or even to pursue further study in specialist fields.

University of Waterloo

Studying and – more critically – understanding some of the most pressing public health issues of today is crucial in ensuring our survival as a species. And universities are ready to aid the health leaders of tomorrow, preparing them to step into the workforce and make a change that will ultimately impact us all.

To make your search that little bit easier, we’ve compiled a list of five of the best schools addressing the most demanding issues in public health. You could become part of this movement…

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH SYSTEMS, UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO – CANADA

Waterloo doesn’t just want to educate students in public health by telling them what’s going on; it wants them to be actively involved in it, preparing students to be agents of change.

By combining multi-disciplinary research and training to expand student understanding of the field in medical, social, behavioural, biological and even engineering and mathematical sciences, students get a 360-degree education.

The school produces ambitious leaders who go on to create real change in the world, researching and implementing what they know to impact the health of people all over the globe. Graduates are ready to respond to complex and constantly developing problems in the world. Taught by inspiring professors who work directly with students, learners here come up with the solutions to some of the major issues of the modern world.

On top of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral degrees, offered on both a full- and part-time basis, Waterloo also provides a number of leading online programmes and attractive diploma programmes. You will graduate ready to pursue a variety of public health roles of your choosing, as well as for policy making or applied research roles.

DORNSIFE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, DREXEL UNIVERSITY – USA

The Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health was founded on the principle of health as a human right. The School is internationally recognized for its work on urban health, health equity and the translation of evidence into practice and policy. Drexel Dornsife’s faculty — leading researchers from across the public health field — train students to become skilled public health scientists, practitioners, policymakers, advocates, and leaders who are prepared to improve health in communities of all types nationally and internationally.

The school focuses on the disciplines that are the foundation of public health:  epidemiology and biostatistics, community health and prevention, health management and policy, environmental and occupational health. Through hands-on, real-world work experience with Drexel Dornsife’s more than 100 partners, students gain a comprehensive understanding of public health research and practice and begin to build their careers while they are still obtaining their degree.  Drexel Dornsife’s nine research centers give both faculty and students ample opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary research on top public health problems nationally and globally.

The School’s work is carried out along with partners in local, regional, and international organisations and communities that value public health — particularly those focused on the relationship between human rights, dignity, social justice, and health.

Drexel University

FIELDING SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES (UCLA) – USA

UCLA Fielding has over 55 years’ experience in preparing students to advance the field of public health through research, training and service.

Students come to UCLA from all over the world to be a part of this exciting exchange of global knowledge, working to grow their understanding through ground-breaking research.

Faculty and students work closely to make breakthrough discoveries and improve the health of global communities. The training and mentoring provided by faculty is used to transform students into public health leaders in all four corners of the Earth. From Los Angeles – where the school is based – all the way to the Congo and back again, this web of knowledge is implemented on a truly universal scale.

Both faculty and students use their global network of understanding to educate, inform and improve communities for those in need of help. UCLA’s research has changed mindsets and behaviours and, ultimately, saved lives.

FACULTY OF POPULATION AND HEALTH SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (UCL) – UK

UCL gifts students with the education of a lifetime, producing graduates who change and adapt as quickly as the field itself.

The Faculty of Population Health Sciences has seven unique institutes focusing on different, exciting aspects of public health, creating “a powerhouse of research and teaching” where students can specialise in one sector while gaining an understanding of the full picture.

The university fosters collaboration through its Research Domains; large, cross-disciplinary research communities which involve UCL and its partner organisations.

With outstanding research centred on improving human health, students and staff unite to work on a multidisciplinary level, sharing knowledge and creating new insights into public health. Research focuses on the behavioural, biological and psycho-social processes which are so central to human life and affect the development of disease.

Students look at every stage of life, from conception, birth, childhood and adolescence, into adulthood, old age and death.

University of Waterloo

EDINBURGH MEDICAL SCHOOL – UK

Edinburgh is one of the UK’s largest medical schools. Spread across four campuses, the school holds the belief that ‘every student is a researcher; every researcher is a teacher.’

Edinburgh understands the importance of new discoveries that could better humankind. Students learn how research conducted by them, their professors and peers forms a basis of knowledge that can be put into action to serve the world.

The school provides a unique multidisciplinary approach to learning where vets, medics and biomedical scientists collaborate to study and understand all manner of diseases. Where many other universities keep their departments separate, the Royal School of Veterinary Studies and Edinburgh Medical School share their knowledge to expand every student’s understanding. Learners design projects with those on different courses, teaching their specialist areas to others so all students leave with a well-rounded understanding of the wider sector.

Both the undergraduate and more specialised postgraduate degrees prepare students to create a real positive change in the world no matter where they decide to work.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

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