London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Sophie: I'm a medical doctor from Santiago, Chile and I'm studying the MSc in Public Health at LSHTM. Before coming here I worked as a doctor in a surgical intermediate unit at my university hospital where I also taught semiology. I also worked as a research assistant where I did things like literature reviews and designed a community-based health survey.

Mahdin: I am studying for an MSc Public Health, Health Promotion stream. I’m from the United States of America and I studied at the University of Virginia for a BA in Health Equity & Justice with minors in Spanish and Biology.

Emily: I'm doing an MSc in Demography and Health. I'm originally from the UK, but I've come back from working abroad to undertake this course. Most recently I was working with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for 8 years as a sexual and reproductive health specialist, covering initially Somalia, then Vanuatu, in the Pacific. I've also worked in other countries with INGOs before, and I've come from a clinical background as a midwife in the UK. I've previously done another masters in Public Health.

Tita:. Currently, I am pursuing an MSc in Nutrition for Global Health. Originally from Indonesia, I completed my undergraduate nutrition degree at the University of Indonesia. Subsequently, I also gained research experience at my faculty's research centre before undertaking my first postgraduate degree in Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition at University College London. Upon returning to Indonesia, I initiated grassroots movements to raise awareness about disordered eating and surrounding diet culture.

Gladys: I'm an intensive MSc Public Health student from Indonesia. I come from a clinical background and have been working as a medical doctor in various Indonesian healthcare facilities for almost 5 years.

Winston: I am studying for an MSc in Control of Infectious Diseases. I am a 3rd year intercalating medical student at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) with an interest in paediatrics, improving health outcomes in humanitarian settings and vector-borne diseases.

What drew you to studying at LSHTM?

Mahdin: I wanted a school that would teach me both knowledge about public health and the necessary skills for public health in practice. LSHTM not only provided me with this opportunity, but it also provided me with the most unique and interesting class choices to achieve my goals. Even more, the school has research projects in every corner of the world so coming here provided me with the chance to join any work I was interested in and meet some of the most brilliant people running the most incredible projects. Plus, it’s an opportunity to move to London and explore the UK for a year!

Emily: My roles for nearly three years with the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Food and Nutrition exposed me to Indonesia's government health system, which does not address disordered eating prevention despite emerging conditions. Therefore, I pioneered Indonesia's first integrated eating disorders educational platform, further sparking my interest in understanding global health nutrition and policy. Now on a Chevening Scholarship, my second master’s degree in Nutrition for Global Health at LSHTM offers targeted skills to advance Indonesia’s approach connecting nutrition, mental health and disordered eating. Additionally, LSHTM academics have extensive expertise implementing programs in low and middle-income regions globally, which is an invaluable asset for me as a student seeking to create change in my home country.

Winston: To me, I have found LSHTM’s MSc Control of Infectious Diseases to be the perfect course, marrying core infection biology and topical public health interventions with a huge range of courses including, vector identification, conflict and health, current issues in maternal and perinatal health and much more. This MSc in particular offers you the opportunity to choose modules to design the perfect course catered specifically to your interests, especially considering LSHTM's international connections and intense research focus. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do our renowned summer projects with international connections is also an incredibly fascinating pursuit I wish to engage in.

What drew you to becoming a Student Liaison Officer for the MARCH centre?

Sophie: Being an SLO in general allows you to play an active role in the school. You work closely with researchers and academics while being attentive to student needs and queries and bridge those two worlds together. I wanted to be an SLO for the MARCH centre in particular because of its goal to improve the health of women, children & adolescents worldwide - a topic that aligns with my particular interests.

Emily: My background in UN systems and working internationally has helped me to understand the field that many may want to enter into, or contribute to through their research. I'm hoping to help to prompt student discussions that will consider key challenges and opportunities that are found around the world, and help towards further connecting future research and global development with fellow students at LSHTM.

As an SLO, what do you hope to achieve this year?

Sophie: I was assigned to be part of the MARCH C-theme, where the focus is on children. I would like to contribute to building awareness of the importance of increasing public health focus on this important group within society, which is too often left outside the spotlight. In terms of concrete actions, I would like to be able to organise conversations with students and researchers so that they can share and grow upon each other’s experiences.

Mahdin: I hope to connect students at LSHTM with the incredible projects and work that members of MARCH are involved in so they are able to continue contributing to groundbreaking research and, in general, I want to promote engagement of the LSHTM community with topics of maternal and foetal health.

Tita: As a Student Liaison Officer for the Adolescent theme, I am eager to assist the MARCH Centre while networking with and learning from world-leading experts in adolescent and young people’s health and nutrition. Through engaging with research groups in this space, I hope to glean insights on innovative programs and studies tailored to diverse global contexts. Cultivating relationships with centre experts focused on adolescents could prove invaluable for potential future collaborations aiming to enhance nutrition policies and interventions targeting this critical population. My role offers rich opportunities to extend my knowledge and build strategic connections to drive impact for adolescents and young people, and eventually strengthen partnerships between the UK and Indonesia.

Gladys: As an SLO for MARCH, especially for the C-theme, I wish to connect the centre to MSc students in LSHTM with the same interests. I hope to bridge activities for MSc students to also collaborate, take part and build connections with researchers and projects within MARCH.

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

Gladys: I hope to be involved in community health projects or health promotion programmes that can develop a supportive and safe environment for pregnant women and support children to grow up to their best potential, especially within Indonesia and South East Asia region.

Winston: Hopefully as a junior doctor, successfully graduated from medical school and having completed this MSc with an exciting and life-enriching summer project attached, looking to continue work in advocating for better health outcomes and rights to health, backed by scientific research, for example in communicable disease control.

Do you have any advice for prospective LSHTM students?

Tita: I understand that starting a life in London and studying at LSHTM can seem intimidating at first, especially for those relocating internationally. However, this school offers unmatched opportunities to master global health, given LSHTM's extensive real-world experience implementing programmes across low and middle-income regions worldwide. This lends a rich breadth of diverse perspectives to the curriculum and class discussions. I encourage you to actively network not only with professors but also colleagues, many of whom hold or have held influential strategic health sector roles. Class discussions also yield invaluable insights from their frontline work, so you have much to discover from one another. Additionally, joining one of LSHTM's centres or societies provides a great platform to meet like-minded individuals and build your professional community. Manage your time wisely so you can immerse yourself in the school culture and what it offers in terms of expertise, global outlooks and personal connections. This will shape your perspective enormously!

Gladys: Be honest with yourself about your genuine interest! It's okay to take time to explore yourself.

Winston: Get involved in as much as you can at LSHTM with your one year here! There are so many inspiring academics and people you will have the chance to chat with, not only through being an SLO but being a student as well, and develop exponentially!