Public Health Personal Statement

Public health is a purposeful, challenging and rewarding career and I experienced it whenIstarted working as a community vaccinator in the health department (Preventive Services). So, I’m writing this letter to apply to Debrecen’s university bachelor's programme in public health. Growing up and watching my cousin as a nurse, who was respected by both family and relatives, inspired me to study pre-medical in high school and explore the medical field. Duringthefirst year, I suffered from dengue fever which made me sick and depressed. This compelledmetolearn about its cures and while reading articles on the internet, I stumbled upon a sayingofDesiderius Erasmus, which states, "Prevention is better than cure." The magical phenomenonofvaccination and my philanthropic heart led me to get a certificate as a vaccinator because thereisno better feeling than the happiness felt while making a change in people’s lives. So far, throughout my 2 years of experience, I’ve been capable of creating and completingoutreach programmes in urban and rural areas, managing small teams for their execution, arranging small meetings with parents and local influencers for public awareness, and managingand administering vaccines, which are included in the Expanded Program on Immunization(EPI)in Pakistan. These things always help me to stay creative, come up with newideas tosolveproblems and learn organisational skills. Reading Dale Carnegie’s book, "Howto WinFriendsand Influence People," helped me to understand the vital role of a good listener and this cameinhandy when I was able to persuade a father to vaccinate his family who doubted vaccines’effectiveness and refused as he was afraid of AEFI (Adverse Events Following Immunization). Furthermore, 2 days of training on interpersonal communication skills held by UNICEF, ECI andEPI stepped up my communication skills, which helped me become a better person by teachingpatience and allowing me to contribute to the community in the long run. Being a front-lineworker during COVID-19, I learned to work with teams of healthcare professionals, suchasnurses, doctors and paramedical staff. And it helped me work in high-stress situations whichprepared me mentally for future outbreaks. At this time, I also realised my crucial role insocietyand why it’s a challenging and purposeful career at the same time. My 4 months training on digital marketing recently helped me get the position of social mediamanager at Volunteer Force Pakistan, a non-government organisation that works for youthdevelopment, women's empowerment and more. My overall learning experience throughthreedifferent online courses on artificial intelligence, specifically AI, empathy and ethics offeredbythe University of California, Santa Cruz, increased my critical thinking which will helpmetosolve increasingly complex challenges in public health. Waking up in the morning and goingout for a walk is a keystone habit of my life that helps me to stay relaxed and disciplined, allowingme to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Respected concern, the current socio-political environment of Pakistan offers fewer opportunitiesfor minorities to excel in their intended sphere of career. The courses included in this programespecially biostatistics and bioethics will not only improve my skills in this field but will givemeexposure to the true standards of healthcare and will help me to create a positive impact onthehealth and well-being of my community in particular and my country in general. In the next 10years, I see myself serving as a role model by utilising my knowledge and skills to educatethe community about the importance of good health and as an advocate for policies and programmesthat benefit the community by working with policymakers and community leaders. Andthisisonly possible if you consider my application favorably