Dr. Mohammed Tarabzoni, MPH'18
Dr. Mohammed Tarabzoni believes that public health is an enormous concept encompassing a variety of aspects all leading to one shared goal: fulfilling the overall wellbeing of populations.
As a surgical resident, Dr. Tarabzoni explored his interests in public health and broadening his own education through the Master of Public Health Program.
It was a major undertaking for the resident, and he’s quite grateful that his cardiac surgical residency provided the opportunity for this enrichment year, preparing him for new and different health care opportunities in his home of Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Tarabzoni explained that Saudi Arabia recently announced the Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to improve economy and public services. The health sector is a major aspect of this vision, which is undergoing a significant transformation to ensure the healthcare system is at a world-class level.
“When I complete my residency, I am planning to go back home to work in King Fahad Medical City (KFMC), which is the largest medical city under the umbrella of the ministry of health in Saudi Arabia,” said Dr. Tarabzoni. “The MPH program set me up with the important tools, allowing me to be part of the change. This includes knowledge in the areas of epidemiology and biostatistics, health economy, health policy and law, medical informatics, and much more.”
Dr. Tarabzoni was drawn to Schulich Medicine & Dentistry’s MPH Program because of its unique style of teaching. Students learn in a case-based format, which Dr. Tarabzoni explained is engaging and interactive unlike the traditional didactic lecture format.
“I enjoyed the concept of the ‘flipped classroom’ where students share and exchange their thoughts and experiences, and the professors guide and facilitate the discussion in the right direction,” he said. “After trying this method of learning, I can say I made the right decision — this Program shaped us to become great public leaders and decision makers.”
The 12-week practicum, a unique feature of the Program, brought Dr. Tarabzoni back to Saudi Arabia where he studied the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the cardiac surgery department at KFMC from an economic point of view.
Following his practicum, he returned to London to complete the Program and continued to enrich his skills to become a systematic thinker, a strong public speaker, and a decision-maker so he can support the future health care of his community.
