I began the Master of Health and International Development (MHID) course at Flinders because I wanted to have a more comprehensive understanding and skills for working in maternal and reproductive health programs in a range of settings. As a midwife, I have always wanted to work at the community level, and in settings outside of large hospitals. My work led me to understand that approaching health in a holistic and multifaceted manner was important in dealing with many of the clinical issues that arise for women before they present to a health care provider in pregnancy. For this reason, I wanted to extend my knowledge in both primary health care and public health, as well as gaining more of an understanding of the dynamics of development.

I had been involved in a number of community development projects in Ethiopia prior to entering this course, but had never studied any of the literature or theories pertaining to overseas development as such. The Topics offered as part of this course enabled me to make sense of how programs for health are implemented, the political context in which they may take place, and the complex nature of development in general. This has been both essential and inspiring with regards to my ability to partake in future work both overseas and in Australia.

Since completion of this course I had an interview with AusAID for their graduate program, and have been offered a position as an AYAD in the Solomon Islands working with a family planning organisation. I am aware that these opportunities have arisen because of the relevance of this degree to further work in the field. I am grateful for the foundation I now have for further work opportunities and experience.

 

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