HPB Voices Reloaded

Journeying Through the MPH Course

By Alan Pui

“OBSERVED = TRUTH + Confounding + Bias + Random Error”

The whole class tried to grasp the profoundness of this equation at the first lecture on epidemiology for the inaugural Master of Public Health (MPH) Course at COFM, NUS.  I am proud to be part of this pioneer batch of 2007.  This Seeing is NOT Believing concept resonates through most of our modules, particularly the Epidemiology and Biostatistics modules.  The two modules are the foundations upon which the expertise of the public health professional is built on.

After one semester, I have begun to appreciate why, how and when Observed does not equate Truth.  That’s when the class also started getting to know each other better, after working together for our group assignments and presentations.  My classmates come from diverse backgrounds and work experiences, ranging from clinicians and surgeons to those working with marginalised communities.  There are 30 of us in the class, hailing from Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Maldives, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.  I find it a very self-enriching experience, not only learning from the lecturers, but from my peers as well.

This is the first time that COFM is offering the course to non-medical graduates like me. And it also allows part-timers to take the course, thus the 6 – 9 pm lectures for almost all the modules. And this, being a Masters course, means that our reading list is rather long as we are expected to ‘explore’ beyond our syllabus.  So, daytime is spent reading and preparing for the evening lectures, plus trying to finish that soon-to-be-due assignment.  Nevertheless, the class still finds time to go for outings and get-togethers.  And yes, a few of us were actively involved in organising our first MPH Night on 27 Feb, which was well attended by alumni and staff.  So, at the end of the day, it was not All Work and No Play.

This MPH journey will take me away from the office for 18 months. Thanks to HPB (and of course my Director and Deputy Director’s support) that I am given this opportunity to learn from the experts evidence-based practices in health promotion.  I am sure this journey will not end with my graduation, but the experience will continue to put me in good stead on the job when I go back to HPB.  Be seeing you all in a year’s time.