Zhe Li, MPH'15
Zhe Li is exploring the dynamics of research, management and economics related to the public health field as a member of the Master of Public Health program’s Class of 2015.With a background in nursing and accounting, Li is excited about the program’s focus on epidemiology, health statistics, and social and cultural determinants of health, and is embracing the opportunities to learn practical and useful skills that she will apply to her future career.
“I have learned a lot from the different courses in the program,” she said. “They have given me another way to think, and it seems that combining knowledge in these different subjects is very important for those who wish to work in the public health field.”
Born and raised in Guangxi, China, Li is adapting to a new way of learning while also improving her communication skills.
“My favourite experience has been learning with my team members. Since English is not my first language, they were happy to help me and I have gotten used to spending time with them every afternoon,” she said.
Li first became interested in public health during her undergraduate internship in China where she noticed the discrepancies between the public and community hospitals.
Li feels it is important for China to develop their public health policies in order to reduce the burden on public hospitals. This interest and passion is what drove her to enrol in the MPH program.
“Though I am still not sure what I will do after I graduate, I think it will be something related to public health finance issues,” she said. “If I could also do some research in this area, that would be even better.”
Li’s advice for those interested in applying to the MPH program is to have a clear idea of what they would like to achieve and gain by enrolling. She also suggests taking part in social experiences within the community in order to gain a broader insight on aspects of public health.
