My country, Ghana, is making impressive efforts to improve a currently unsatisfactory and extremely basic public health care system. My goal in making this application is to acquire the skills and knowledge to enable me to manage a governmental public health agency in Ghana and thus make a significant contribution to an improvement in public health. I have carefully researched the available programs and conclude that yours will provide the expertise, challenges and support that will equip me to attain my goals.
My background is not a conventional one for doctoral study in this specialty. Much of my career has been spent in retail pharmacy and I hold an MBA. My work to date has provided the degree of satisfaction and reward that I initially sought from a career. However, over the years that I have been a pharmacist, I have noted the gradual expansion of my duties to encompass preventative care and other aspects of public health efforts to improve outcomes and care quality.
I have developed a special interest in these matters which I have studied informally by wide reading of relevant journals, texts, sources of healthcare related statistics and by seeking information from other professionals in relevant fields. I now seek to convert this informal, but deep, interest into a formal academic qualification so that I can provide ‘cutting edge’ management, statistical and research skills in this specialty to ‘make a significant difference’. I also seek to acquire the leadership and training skills to enable me to help many others too to assist in the improving the health of Ghana’s citizens.
I have been a Pharmacist Preceptor for five years and, in this role, I have responsibilities for training and mentoring new pharmacists and ancillary staff. I have also led a Cardiovascular and Diabetic Education Workshop for my Ghanaian community for two years. I enjoy passing on my knowledge, skills and enthusiasm to others and providing direct preventative health education. I relate easily to people and have a well-developed sense of humor. I enjoy working in, and leading teams, but am also capable of working alone when a situation requires it.
I undertook successful research during my MBA studies and would not be applying for a doctoral program without having the confidence to state that I have the characteristics of an excellent researcher and have demonstrated these in my master's program.
I have not traveled widely but have lived in the UK and US and spent time in a student exchange in Sweden. I enjoy learning about other cultures and sharing knowledge of my own and look forward to the opportunity to do so in my time at XXXX University.
I know that there will be many professionally qualified applicants for doctoral studies at the Center. However, I do feel that I am an excellent candidate. I have worked at the ‘front line’ in healthcare for many years and have a practical and patient centered approach to it rather than one that is purely academic and feel that this has equipped me with essential insights when dealing with the ‘big picture’; I have training and health education experience; and I am an experienced researcher. My main recommendation is a genuine passion to improve the health of my compatriots and to equip others to do so.
PHD Public Health Management Personal Purpose Statement