Annabelle Whitehead-Broad, 20 September, 2022
Annabelle Whitehead-Broad shares their experience of studying public health at QUT.
Public health graduates work to improve the health of communities at a local, national or even global scale. You could work in many spheres, whether it's in hospitals, in economics, in policy, however, I view the role of a public health professional as someone who empowers communities.
Hear Annabelle talk about their experiences.
I decided to study public health because I've always loved the arts and the sciences, and I'm passionate about creating a better world. Working in public health offers ways to create a better future for everyone, and you have the opportunity to do that at a scale that I'd never dreamt of. This could be through policy that improves systems or by rolling out health promotion programs, like the Slip, Slop, Slap campaign—that’s a program most people are familiar with. At its core, public health is about improving the health of groups of people through knowledge, empowerment, and justice.
I have really enjoyed the core subjects within my Bachelor of Public Health degree, particularly the ones that take a more theoretical and sociological lens to the health disparities that we see. I find that absolutely fascinating. There are still so many questions we don't have answers to, and there are so many different ways in which you can think about various health problems.
Considering diverse perspectives
Some of my favourite parts of this degree have been the in-depth discussions in our classes. Public health brings together a wide variety of students with different perspectives and experiences. It’s always a delight to engage with them in meaningful discussion. We’ve learnt that diverse perspectives help create better health policies. Traditionally, policy has been a top-down initiative, which means that there's often a huge disconnect between the people who write the policy and the people who experience its outcomes. When you listen to diverse perspectives, when you are grounded in them, you are better able to create realistic policies that can have effective outcomes.
Research in public health
Another highlight of my studies so far has been participating in the Vacation Research Experience Scheme. I contributed to a project on malaria research. I helped conduct a systematic review of the literature relevant to the research question which pertained to the health of half the world’s population. It was incredibly exciting to learn so much about the topic and to gain a greater understanding of academic life.
Overseas opportunities
QUT also offers opportunities in public health degree for real-world experiences, like going on practical placements in industry settings. We can also take part in study tours and I'm opting to go on a study tour in Vietnam. While there I’ll be working on a project within a local university and I’ll be able to explore a different health care system. I’ll gain new perspectives engaging with people, cultures and social systems that I haven't previously experienced, and I'll be able to take this broader understanding forward in my practice, no matter where my career takes me.
