What do past students say about the Course
What do past graduates say about this course?
These are all unsolicited comments offered by students in their portfolios. Student portfolios are reflective pieces prepared by students at the end of each module and at the end of each academic year.
The course outlines a set of seven core competencies which students are expected to have attained by the end of the programme.
MCH knowledge base
Students gain improved knowledge of key MCH programmes serving women and children and the health services available for these populations along with their limitations.
“The Maternal Health module was to me more than just a week of attending lectures. It broadened up my views on a lot of issues affecting women in South Africa and world-wide. Mothers are faced with difficult choices on daily basis. I was forced to think deeply about some of these issues.”
“Enrolling to the MSc community paediatrics programme changed the way I viewed health systems.”
Scientific basis and critical thinking
Students improve their understanding of MCH problems, evidence for interventions that best address problems and how to apply their knowledge of demographic, familial, socio-cultural and community factors to design MCH programmes and services.
“I am able to describe maternal and child health programmes, determine the validity of evidence for interventions to address these problems. The group work sessions, strategic planning modules and assignments on designing programmes, all helped me with acquiring these skills.”
“In the MSc, I was taught to think critically and therefore I can see bottlenecks and barriers in child health programme delivery and plan strategies to overcome these.”
Methodological and analytic skills
Students learn to interpret data from vital statistics, censuses, surveys and reports on health of women and child populations, and to meaningfully make inferences from this data. The course improves students’ ability to use this data using statistical and epidemiological methods for programme planning, assessment and evaluation.
“The module gave me an idea on how the health of a population is measured. The designs that are used by epidemiologists to investigate on health issues of public health.”
Management and communication skills
Students improve their knowledge on how to plan, develop, manage and evaluate public health programmes and implement strategies to promote integrated services for women and children populations, develop and justify health budgets and prepare grant applications for securing funding for health programmes.
“As a public health specialist in the field of Child health, I have attained an understanding of the broad spectrum of how to identify problems, rationalize solutions based on evidence, planning and budget scope of what solution best fit the overall programmatic area of Child health. How to establish Indicators of health care as steps towards finding solutions to health issues. I was provided with the skills to budget, plan and gained an ability to perceive operationalizing, what needs and gaps can be addressed in a program that may have several facets to it.”
Working with others and the wider community
Students gain skills to develop and maintain positive relationships with colleagues, staff, stake-holders and inter-disciplinary teams to better implement MCH programmes.
“An official Multi-Disciplinary Team was launched at our hospital in May 2011. This has been as a result of the knowledge I acquired during the course. I collaborated with the hospital’s dedicated audiologist and occupational therapist in designing an official document to facilitate comprehensive treatment, holistic intervention to paediatric patients and their families.”
Policy and advocacy skills
Students learn about public health laws, policies and regulations, identify gaps in existing MCH programmes and how to implement appropriate policy and advocacy measures to improve health of MCH populations.
“I have been identifying gaps in existing maternal and child health programmes in our hospital and district and trying to fix them, although the red tape is unbelievably thick.”
Values and ethics in MCH public health practice
Students are expected to examine their own personal values/beliefs and reflect on how these change as they go through the course and how this affects their professional practice and conduct.
“Our lecturer told us that his studies did not change the way he made clinical decisions in his daily practice. As an exercise, he challenged us to find an ethical way to choose which critically ill baby presented should get the last bed available in a paediatric ward. Some of us made valiant efforts to identify ethical standards for choosing, but in the end the choice was neither simple nor necessarily ethical or unethical.”
Identification of academic goals and gaps
Students gain particular skills such as writing a literature review, correct referencing, improving critical reading and writing skills and completing a Masters research project. They are expected to identify gaps in their own learning and areas that require strengthening, develop strategies to meet their personal learning needs, plan better approaches to learning, keep up to speed with the curriculum and perform better academically.
“The introduction of new concepts such as critical thinking, viewing and reading were a big issue for me mainly during sessions when Professor and lecturers were asking pertinent questions such as: what is the meaning of the concept, meaning of the data related to that concept, your opinion to initiate critical thinking?”
“I was certain that there were gaping holes in the information that I’d researched, that my numbers were not up to date and that I would be slaughtered and hung out to dry in the common teaching manner employed in medical schools across the country. After all, that was largely what my previous tertiary education had consisted of.”
“I have compared my learning to the MCH competency framework for 2015 for those areas relevant to the Maternal Health module. I have decided to do this on an on-going basis. This is to ensure that I have no gaps in learning, since I will need to pursue a certain amount of self-directed learning to ensure that I am up to speed in all areas of my studies.”
“Some of the concepts were new for me, e.g. time management as a manager and employee, language limitation and lastly, the learning style was different than the one in my home country.”
Pedagogic techniques
Students are exposed to various pedagogic activities and techniques such as lectures, group work, the e-learning platform, online courses (MOOCs), oral presentations, experiential visits to primary care clinics and take home assignments.
“I was looking forward to the group work sessions, as these were the important highlights for me during this module. The group work sessions were slowly training me to be the leader or manager I had in mind.”
“We did things we never did in the first year, e.g. individual presentations, class test first thing in the morning of each module, site visits and writing reports. We were forced to think critically.”
“Experiential learning at primary clinics was effective in showing practical challenges and triumphs in the public health sector. It also gave the class opportunity to interact outside of the lecture rooms.”
Self-growth over time
Students’ are expected to demonstrate personal growth over the two years and from one module to the next.
“During the course I was exposed to group presentations. My communication skills have improved and facing an audience is no longer frightening than before. I conduct most of the mortality and morbidity meetings in my department and there is no doubt now that a big stage will be next.”
“Memorization and studying were replaced with analysis and practical application. Though I have been working in public health settings since 2001, I have never been forced to analyse and operationalize policies, guidelines, protocols, etc. like during this coursework.”
“This module built a lot of my capacity in communication, computer skills, self-discipline building, working with colleagues or peers, the community and critical reflections in reading and writing related to maternal and child health.”
“There were different ways on how writing skills were promoted during the entire course and each module brought a different skill. This included report writing, letter of intent, strategic plan, scholarly paper and annotated bibliography.”
Identification of Professional goals/objectives
Students identify particular goals/objectives which they aim to achieve in their professional field/workplace related to maternal and child health after the Masters programme.
“My Professional Goals are:
Short-term:- Assist with enforcing current government regulations and protocols on maternal and child health.
Long-term: Managerial position- with influence in policy development and implementation in public health, maternal health care and child health and qualify as a paediatrician.”
“When I started practicing as a medical practitioner I realised that being a clinician was not good enough for me. I fell in love with the practice of paediatrics but I soon realised I was not fulfilled personally and professionally. I strongly believe that combining public health, primary health care and paediatrics will have a synergistic effect on communities and individual children’s health outcomes.”
“Since my early days at medical school, curative medicine has dominated the teaching of paediatrics. It is however frustrating to see the under 5 mortality not reduced in sub-Saharan Africa, despite many policies and strategic plans in place. I therefore wanted to join the team of professionals who dedicate their time, resources and energy to the prevention and promotion of health in children.”
“This course will enhance my future career by empowering me with the knowledge and skills I require to ensure that a difference can be made to women of child bearing age and children in need. With the leadership skills provided I can educate and inform other academics, institutions and communities.”
Identification of Professional gaps
Students who are already working in the field of maternal and child health, identify deficiencies in their knowledge and skills such as management or leadership qualities, budgeting skills, data interpretation/inference, strategic planning in MCH, epidemiological and research skills. They are assisted in overcoming these.
“I must admit that working out budgets was never one of my strong points. I always thought as a manager I will just employ someone qualified to deal with that part. During the discussion session it became clearer to me that as a leader it is wiser to be involved and understand the financial aspect of any programme implemented.”
“As a clinician, I am able to perform exceptionally well. As a leader, a researcher, a manager and analyser of systems, I found myself in an uncomfortable place where I could understand what needed to be done but felt lacking in terms of the knowledge and tools to reach my goals.”
Personal development
Students are encouraged to reflect on their personal belief and attitudes about MCH topics, their personal journey through the MSc/MPH programme, the way to balance personal, professional and academic life during these two years and how best to adapt to a multi-cultural environment.
“I concluded this module with the responsibility as a father to contribute to the future of my daughter with the information at my disposal to vaccinate against HPV, guide her through the adolescent period, promote safe sexuality and family planning and use maternal services when necessary. My responsibility is equally for my wife in term of screening for cervical cancer and other maternal health related problems.”
“As an individual, there has been a great deal of growth in me personally. I am now more confident about myself; this is because through this course, I was able to understand my personality, including my strengths and weaknesses. As a result of that, I am able to understand and be comfortable with other people.”
“I really did grow (personally, socially, intellectually and emotionally) in this module and was very inspired and motivated to read and absorb knowledge to improve myself and reach greater heights of self- satisfaction.”