With a background in medicinal chemistry and drug development, graduate Vicky Moynihan was looking for a career change when she decided to pursue a Masters in Global Health. When it came to deciding where, she gravitated towards QMU due to the Institute for Global Health and Development's (IGHD) impressive catalogue of world leading research, as well as the size of the University.
In this Student Story, Vicky tells us about her time on the course and how the course led her toward a new career path in the third sector improving access to healthcare for marginalised and excluded population groups.
Why did you choose to study at QMU and what attracted you to the course?
I’ve always been passionate about making sure that everyone has access to high quality healthcare. After school, I went to university to study medicinal chemistry and then I worked and researched in drug development for a few years. I quickly realised that I was much more interested in ensuring fair and equal access to medicines rather than working for the big pharma companies that profit from their production. Looking for a career change, I applied to a few Global Health postgraduate courses in Scotland. I received offers from QMU and one other larger university.
"I had attended a big Russell Group university for my undergraduate, and I had found this to be quite competitive and isolating at times. I wanted a different experience for my Master’s so the small class sizes at QMU really appealed."
The practical aspects of the course also looked great, with classes such as global health project management. Once I started looking into the research profile of the Institute of Global Health and Development I found out that they had produced some world-class research in fields like refugee mental health and healthcare interventions in conflict zones. On a completely non-academic note - I was also very swayed by the opportunity to move back to my favourite city, Edinburgh!
What did you enjoy most about your course?
"I loved the strong focus on social justice, critical approaches, and decolonisation of global health throughout the course. Coming from a natural sciences background, this exposed me to a whole new way of thinking about health."
I was also lucky to have the most amazing group of classmates with an exceptionally diverse range of professional and academic backgrounds and coming to QMU from all over the world. I learned so much from their perspectives and experiences during class discussions (and from spending time together outside of class). These discussions changed the way I thought about so many issues in health and development and have had a lasting impact on my life and career.
Were there any particular course activities you found especially interesting?
I really enjoyed some of the elective modules that focused on specific health and development inequalities, such as modules on gender and on forced migration. I also loved that we were given lots of flexibility around assignment topics. Mid-way through the course I realised that I wanted to focus on health inequalities closer to home rather than pursue a career working in low and middle income countries. It was great to have the opportunity to focus my assignments on population groups and healthcare inequalities in Scotland and similar settings. This helped me build relevant knowledge for my future career and gave me a chance to explore the parts of the course that interested me most.
How did your lecturers support your learning?
One of my favourite things about QMU was how approachable the lecturers were. When we had class discussions the lecturers were really engaged and interested in learning from our different experiences and perspectives as students from different places and professional backgrounds. It was really refreshing that they valued our expertise and encouraged us and challenged us to develop this further.
What challenges did you face with the course and/or university life? How did you overcome them?
I came to this Master’s from a very different academic and professional background (biomedical/chemical sciences). I hadn’t taken any social sciences or humanities classes during my undergraduate – I hadn’t even written a university-level essay, just lots of laboratory reports! I felt way out of my depth starting this course. During the first month or two, I experienced quite a lot of imposter syndrome. The lecturers were really supportive and really encouraged me to take part in discussions and ask questions. The early assignments also helped me find my feet as we were given lots of freedom about what to focus on. This gave me a chance to explore topics that really interested me, and I quickly discovered that my critical thinking skills from my previous career translated really well to Global Health.
Do you have any advice for students who might be interested in this course?
"If you’re passionate about global health and development, then go for it! People come to this course from all sorts of backgrounds, and that’s one of the things that makes it so great."
If applicable, which University services did you use to support you through your university journey and how did they help you?
I used the university counselling service to work through some personal issues during my course. My counsellor was really open-minded and easy to talk to, and the service was super flexible about appointment times and online vs. in person set-ups. This was a great help in getting me through a rough patch without needing to ask for extensions or take time away from my course.
Did you attend an online or in person Open Day/Offer Holder day before coming to QMU?
No. I decided to do this Masters quite last minute (applying in July for a September start) so there wasn’t much time to attend any open days. But as I had lived in Edinburgh before, I was already quite familiar with the university and knew a few QMU students. This all gave me a good idea of the vibe of the university and what to expect.
What was the most valuable lesson that you learned at university?
To keep an open mind about what interests me and where I want to take my career. This course pushed me to explore subjects that I hadn’t deeply considered before.
"I entered the course thinking that I wanted to focus on improving access to pharmaceuticals, but I left with so many new areas of interest and passion, from refugee integration policy to the links between climate change and mental health. University gives you such a great opportunity to take a risk, try different things, and find out what you are passionate about."
Can you tell us about your life post-graduation?
Since graduating, I’ve been working in the charity sector in Scotland where I’ve focused on improving access to healthcare for marginalised and excluded population groups. I’ve had opportunities to influence national policy, design and lead research, and do a whole range of influencing work with people in positions of power in the healthcare system. My time at QMU definitely helped me get started on this career path, and I use the theories, frameworks and ideas that I learned about during the course every day in my job.
