I can make a difference in local and global public health by gaining further knowledge and skills as a graduate student. I could not be more certain that your particularly distinguished MPH Program in General Epidemiology at the University of XXXX School of Public Health is the optimal springboard upon which I might achieve my goals. First, XXXX is world famous for its public health resources. In addition to ranking at the very top, I especially appreciate the rich history of XXXX SPH.
I was astonished by the fact that the Department of Epidemiology at the University of XXXX, School of Public Health has been practicing world-class public health education and epidemiological research for more than 70 years, longer than the histories of most medical schools in my country, Japan. which is longer than the history of most of medical schools in Japan. Most public health programs in Japan are no more than 15 years old. I look to the University of XXXX and a role model, therefore, for advancement of our public health system in Japan.
Traditionally speaking, public health has only existed as an academic discipline as part of medical school. This has resulted in serious shortages of public health experts: biostatisticians, epidemiologists, and health policymakers while medical doctors with only cursory training in public health are still the only professors to teach the subject in Japan. If given the opportunity to distinguish myself in your innovative program, I am confident that I will be selected to continue to my studies at the PHD level to contribute to the advancement of Public Health as an independent academic discipline in my country.
Another reason UX is my first choice is because my foremost mentor is a graduate of your program school, XXXX, now a professor of Preventive Medicine at the university where I went to medical school. He took the time to inspire me to start to begin thinking of epidemiology as my career.
I do not think that my low cumulative GPA (2.9) is an accurate measure of my ability to succeed as a graduate student. I was competing in medical school against the top 1 percent. By the end of the first two years, more than 20% of the students dropped out, including one of my closest friends who committed suicide. My grades improved over the course of the last two years, in part, thanks to the inspiration of XXXX in the areas of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology. Under his guidance, the study of medicine became much more than curing patients one at a time. Rather, I was able to envision a world where disease is prevented rather than cured. Suddenly, I became possessed by my studies, like a spiritual crusade, and soon found myself above the 95th percentile in the class, earning an A, exceedingly rare at my medical school. I finished with my sights fully focused on Epidemiology. My GPA over the last two years was 3.45, with straight 'As' in the professional training “Bedside learning”.
Kazutoshi Nakamura was my watershed moment in education because I simply fell in love with Epidemiology. Since then, I have stayed connected with him for guidance in my research on mercury poisoning which I have developed throughout the course of several presentations. The fact that both of us focus investigations on the Niigata Prefecture makes our working relationship especially mutually beneficial. He has also advised me to pursue the MPH in the USA. I am pleased that a graduate of UX’s MPH Program is one of those mentors writing a letter of recommendation on my behalf. He has told me all about the UX system, resources, environment, and people. I hope to be accepted to your world-class Master’s in Public Health Program at the University of XXXX so that I might learn from some of the finest instructors in the world.
I could not be more certain that your particularly distinguished MPH program at the University of XXXX is the optimal springboard upon which I might achieve my goals. First, your program has an exceptionally low student-to-faculty ratio; and the subsequent attention from and ability to easily interact with the faculty. I also appreciate the flexibility that the Generalist Track offers, in which I can pursue my special interest, mental health, alongside the more general curricula. I love the interdisciplinary nature of your program and keenly look forward to conducting my Capstone and Field Experience in a location with numerous, creative resources and opportunities within my reach. at my disposal. I am impressed with the fact that UX has a wealth of student resources available, such as the International Student and Scholar Services and the Graduate Student Center to guide and assist international students.
Japan has the longest life expectancy and the lowest infant mortality in the world, because of its world-renowned health care system. However, as a result, Japan is now one of the most aged countries and has an incredibly low birth rate, putting an extreme financial burden on the young and it looks increasingly likely that our single-payer national health insurance system is going to fail. I look forward to a lifetime of investigation into the public health challenges unique to Japan, especially younger Japanese people, and particularly labor-related issues such as karoshi, death caused by overwork or job-related exhaustion. I seek to explore unsolved mysteries and thereby prepare for the future.
I plan to become an epidemiologist who is especially accomplished at the analysis of risk factors that negatively affect our mental health, so that unnecessary deaths – especially suicide – can be prevented. I was myself bullied in elementary school and subsequently absent for enough time to fall behind in my studies. I suffered a great deal from this situation because I clearly did not have enough support and the root cause was not investigated. Somehow, I managed to get through it, but I would frequently see similar cases when others went through a remarkably similar experience, the worst of which occurred when one of my best friends took his life after failing a class due to extreme pressure.
An experienced physician, when working in the hospital as a doctor, I met many patients toiling under the heavy burden of at once being caregivers and putting in long hours at their places of employment. It troubles me that we focus on treating the symptoms, instead of directly addressing many of the causal factors for mental illness, stress, depression, and in many cases suicide. According to Japan’s Health Ministry, although the chief cause of domestic suicide over the last 5 years is health related, work or family problems comes in second for people between their 20s and 50s and school-related issues are first for teenagers. Depression accounts for half of these health problems. The statistics clearly show a need for preventive measures in dealing with suicide and mental illness. I like to think that we can prevent these diseases, especially for the young, with advanced public mental health strategies.
I joined the computer club at our university and learned the basics of programming as well as statistics. I also held an internship position at a public health center, assisting with the analysis of data on infections at the local level. I put an enormous amount of effort into these experiences so that I would be qualified for large-scale epidemiological research that not only requires medical knowledge, but also statistical and analytical skills. As an example, there was a study submitted to the New England Journal of Medicine in 2014 on reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease with low sodium intake. This study targeted more than 100,000 people in seventeen countries with intricate statistical analysis on the relationship between cardiovascular status and sodium intake.
It revealed that an estimated sodium intake between 3g per day and 6g per day was associated with a lower risk of death and cardiovascular events than either a higher or lower estimated level of sodium intake. This study led Japan’s Ministry of Health to introduce a new recommendation for daily sodium consumption, changing the way people in Japan eat and think about their health.
In my case, I look forward to playing a central role in the realization of dramatic public health success stories in the area of mental health, in light of and in response to the unique challenges, stressors, and cultural factors – for better or for worse – that serve to define our horizons in the advance of public health practice.
I thank you for considering my application to your unparalleled MPH program at the University of XXXX.
MPH Sample Personal Statement, Japanese Applicant