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We would like to recognize and congratulate our MPH Alumnus – Mui, Chi Hang Henry (MPH Class of 2020) who recently passed his Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam. Read more about Henry’s career journey and his experience with the CPH examination. The HKU MPH is the first in the region and the only academic programme in Hong Kong fully accredited by CEPH, our graduates are eligible to take for the CPH examination and become professionally certified in public health. “I am now working at Biomedical Engineering Services Section in Hospital Authority in Hong Kong, specializing in healthcare technology and medical equipment life cycle management in clinical engineering field and I obtained my bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering from CUHK in 2014. I am also a corporate member of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE). Completing the CPH examination and obtaining CPH credential is a milestone for me to recognize my capability of attaining the professional standard in public health. It helps demonstrate my perception of the knowledge I have learnt in HKU MPH and broadens my horizon to observe contemporary healthcare issues from the angle of a professional public health organization. The broad range of public health contents in the examination, covering the topics from four concentrations of HKU MPH, constitutes the core standard body of knowledge which no doubt can help us adhere to professional values. For instance, the examination considers the concepts and scope of ethical and legal principles in public health domain, which is essential to become a qualified public health professional. I believe the CPH credential can increase the recognition of public health professions and raise the awareness of public health issues, while it is also the benchmark to distinguish from other professionals in the field. As for me, it paves the foundation for my vision of cherishing the exploration of integrated care with emerging technologies for primary health and well-being in healthcare industry, and acts as the commitment for me to keep on with continuing professional development on public health issues.”

Congratulations to our MPH Alumnus – Donald Fung (MPH Class of 2022) who recently passed his Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam! We’re delighted for Donald to share his experience with the CPH examination. The HKU MPH is the first in the region and the only academic programme in Hong Kong fully accredited by CEPH, our graduates are eligible to take for the CPH examination and become professionally certified in public health. “Before I joined the MPH program in 2020, I had already obtained Master of Laws (LLM) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees from CUHK and Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) degree from PolyU.  I am a professional accountant and is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.  I have worked in the banking industry for a long time and I used to feel proud of my comprehensive commercial knowledge until my father passed away shortly and unexpectedly because of a stroke.  His death reminded me about my shortcomings in medical knowledge.  To relieve my sorrow, I did some on-line research on this disease and discovered the importance of primary prevention in healthcare.  After thinking for a while, I decided to apply for the HKU MPH (HEPM) program and finished it in 2022. After my graduation, I enrolled for the CPH exam in early 2023.  To prepare for this exam, I had studied two books recommended by National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) and completed two practice exams provided in the CPH website but I eventually found that what I learnt from HKU MPH program was already sufficient for me to pass the exam.  In view of this, I suggest our alumnus to take the CPH exam once after the graduation.  Otherwise, they may loss the memory and need to study the materials again.”

My name is Chow Yim Sau Clementine, and I hold a Bachelor of Chinese Medicine from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Currently, I am working as a Chinese Medicine practitioner at The Hong Kong Tuberculosis Association - The University of Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Clinic cum Training and Research Centre (South District) and pursuing a part-time MPH in Health Economics, Policy and Management (HEPM). My decision to pursue an MPH was influenced by several factors. Firstly, my participation and subsequent win in a policymaking competition during my undergraduate studies highlighted the need for more experts with extensive knowledge and skills in policymaking and effective communication with other health professionals in the field of Chinese medicine. This observation motivated me to pursue further studies to enhance my skills in these areas. Secondly, I aim to equip myself with more analytical methods for health leadership in the future. By pursuing an MPH, I believe I can broaden my perspective and develop a more comprehensive understanding of public health issues, which will be beneficial for my profession. Being granted the UGC Targeted TPg Fellowships is a significant achievement, and I am grateful and honoured for the opportunity. The fellowship not only recognizes my academic achievements but also provides financial support to pursue further studies. This is particularly important given the high cost of postgraduate education. The fellowship also serves as a strong encouragement for continuous learning, especially for part-time students who also need to work to support themselves. My MPH experience has been incredibly rewarding since it has allowed me to broaden my understanding of healthcare and investigate the complexities of how economics, policy, and management all influence healthcare services. I have particularly enjoyed acquiring accounting skills in healthcare, policy writing and lobbying, and building friendships and networks with fellow MPH students. Accounting skills are crucial for managing the financial resources of healthcare organizations, while policy writing and lobbying skills are critical for advocating changes in the healthcare system. Furthermore, the opportunity to connect and collaborate with students from diverse backgrounds has enhanced my learning experience and expanded my professional network. Upon graduation, my aspiration is to help establish further development in the policy and management of the first Chinese medicine hospital in Hong Kong. As a Chinese Medicine practitioner, I hope to utilize the knowledge and skills acquired from my MPH to advocate for better Chinese Medicine policy development and bridge the gap between Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

Hi, my name is Phoebe. It was my honour to be a candidate of the TPg fellowship. I am a registered nurse currently working in research. I enjoy my work very much, and pursuing the MPH has just been the icing on the cake. Studying a postgraduate degree has been my plan. It seems exciting to devote myself to a new area of expertise, but it isn’t necessarily easy. Many challenges will come in your way, which is all part of the fun and experience. Spending three years in work place, I always reflect on my past, present, and how I can improve in the future. It’s never easy to leave the easy life you are comfortable with, but stepping out of your comfort zone will make your whole experience worthwhile. After all, I am so glad that I applied for the MPH program. It has recharged and enriched me with knowledge. I am so honoured to candidate for the UGC targeted TPg Fellowship. Over the past year, I was struggling with work stress and economic pressure. A drama has grown inside me as a part of me really want to study the MPH program, while another part doesn't justify with the tuition fees. I am so thankful that my friend told me about this funding, it really helped me to take a big step forward. One thing I did not expect is that I actually made some good study partners and friends here. Thanks for the fact that the program was not designed an easy task, i did struggle a lot. But when God closes one door, he opens another. I am so luckily to learn a bunch of friends who have the same goal. We always get each other's back. I chose epidemiology and biostatistics as my concentration as I am more a scientific and number kind of person. I am looking for opportunities that I can combine my clinical medical knowledge in the epidemiological and statistics area. I wish to inspire and bring hope and insight to our future generations in combating diseases.

I am currently a part-time Year 1 MPH student in the concentration of Public Health Practice. I am a registered nurse and develop my interest in studying public health issues from my nursing study and ongoing clinical experience. I applied for MPH because I would like to prepare myself with a leadership role in advocating and improving community health of Hong Kong with different parties. Equipping myself with the principles of public health, I therefore could point out the social problems and propose evidence-based interventions effectively towards a sustainable health system. Therefore, I am grateful to be granted the UGC Targeted TPg Programmes Fellowship. This valuable recognition allows me to become a more confident healthcare practitioner, putting public health in action with competence. This MPH journey is challenging but informative. We are always given great opportunities to exchange public health ideas with internationally renowned experts and classmates from different cultural backgrounds and professional fields. Discovering the unfamiliar aspect of the field of practice, my critical thinking ability is consolidated. This helps me to address social health issues from multi-dimensional angles. In order to bridge theory and practice, I would take steps to make a network with the community through practicums in public health agencies and non-governmental organizations. I would like to give back to the society by blending my clinical experience and translating outreach ideas in practical with the public health knowledge gained in MPH program. I hope I may spur an improvement in the health care system of Hong Kong, and hence build a healthier living and caring environment.

I’m Cecilia Yau, a part-time Year 1 MPH student and manager at the Health Bureau. After obtaining my Bachelor of Arts in English, I had the opportunity to work in the Hospital Authority and Department of Health, which changed my course completely. As I progress in my career, I have developed a strong interest in public healthcare planning, as a good healthcare system and good health service delivery could hugely benefit the health and quality of the general public. Studying MPH have been a phenomenal experience for me. In addition to learning from experts in the field and enriching my knowledge in public health, I have also met peers coming from various disciplines in health care and appreciated the diverse perspectives and inspiring discussions. I am honoured and thankful to be awarded the UGC Targeted TPg Programmes Fellowship, for the recognition and support given to me in equipping myself to become a competent public health practitioner.

Hi there! My name is Dorothy, currently studying MPH (full time) in Health Economics, Policy and Management. Prior to studying this master’s, I graduated from HKU Food and Nutritional Sciences programme and have worked in the research and clinical trials industry for 2 years. During my work at the research field, it became clearer that a society with greater health awareness and adequate policy support is very much needed for integrated health, which seeks to offer care that combines physical, mental, and social aspects of health. As such, every citizen can enjoy their life to its fullest. I applied for the MPH program since it enables me to contribute to the healthcare field by mapping out ways to enhance our citizens’ healthier way of living. I am honoured to be granted the UGC Targeted TPg Programmes Fellowship. Being a recipient of the Fellowship motivates me to further my career development in promoting healthcare changes at system level. I genuinely enjoy MPH with its course design and the diversity of classmates’ backgrounds. Course content is set in such a way that integrates theory and practice, with ample opportunities to learn from both world-renowned academics and aspiring healthcare professionals from public and private sectors. At the same time, with the diversified cultural and professional backgrounds of classmates, we are encouraged to think outside of the box in our group work and consider multiple perspectives on healthcare systems across the globe. MPH has equipped me with different real-world models for critically analysing and effecting changes in solving public health problems in both the healthcare field and the political world. I hope to utilise the knowledge acquired to develop my career in the healthcare sector and make our society healthier and liveable through research and advocacy.

My name is Justin, and I am currently a first-year MPH student in the concentration of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. In addition to my status as a part-time student, I am also working as a full-time research assistant here at the School of Public Health, mainly assisting with research projects related to influenza and COVID-19. I began working at the School of Public Health after graduating from the University of Toronto with a major in mathematics and minor in both linguistics and statistics. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has allowed us to appreciate the role of public health in improving our understanding of diseases and formulating measures to minimize the impact of diseases at the population level. As an inquisitive individual who also enjoys problem solving, this prompted me to pursue my studies in the MPH programme and learn how to utilize concepts and tools in public health in improving population health and future pandemic preparedness efforts. It is an honour to be granted the UGC Targeted TPg Fellowship and it has provided me additional motivation to strive for excellence in the programme. Though challenging at times, the MPH programme fosters teamwork across its different courses, which allowed us to communicate and collaborate with our fellow classmates from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds. In addition, I also enjoyed learning from some of the top scholars and experts in the field. After graduating from the MPH programme, I wish to work in the public health sector and make contributions by putting skills from the programme into good use. For those who are interested in public health, I would strongly encourage you to apply for the programme so that you can learn from the very best and gain hands on experience in solving real-world problems!

Hi there, this is Vanessa. I am currently a part-time year 1 MPH student in Public Health Practice (PHP). I have been working as a registered nurse in a neurology unit since graduating from HKU in 2017. After 5 years of study in nursing and another 5 years of working in the public sector, I feel that there are a lot of health issues being ignored and unsolved. As the frontline healthcare workers, my colleagues and I have to face the overwhelming workload and provide critical care to the patients every day. I realized that despite the hands-on services from all of the healthcare professionals, the healthcare system needs to be viewed from a macro level, in order to eradicate the root of problem and improve the population's health. However, not many of us are with this insight, including myself. Studying the MPH is the best way for me to get equipped. Being a part-time MPH student is challenging. I am very honoured to be awarded the UGC Targeted TPg Fellowship. It motivated me a lot by gathering students from various disciplines with the same vision to exchange brilliant ideas and support each other during the pursuit of study. It is my pleasure to meet the fellow classmates, who are genuine yet the elites and experts with different professional backgrounds, which has enriched my social network and delighted my life. I really enjoy the MPH programme, it provided me with great opportunities to explore local health-related topics and engage in international healthcare debates. Through the learning journey of PHP, it helps strengthen my critical thinking and build the acumen towards public health. Not only the theories, teachers put great effort into letting us know how to make a positive influence on public health as a future leader. MPH definitely broadens my horizons and inspires me thoroughly. I wish to make use of the knowledge and practical skills that I acquire in the programme to develop my career in the government and public sector. I hope in the future, I can have a chance to contribute and give out prospective ideas in policy making, to improve public health and give back to society. After the pandemic, it is never too late to rebuild a safe and healthy community that can bring Hong Kong back to a prosperous city.

Hi I am Ruby. The COVID pandemic provides the impetus for my career shift to public sector and reasons for pursuing the MPH program. The context when I studied public and international affairs in the past were long gone. Uncertainty is what I encountered after the social unrest and pandemic. At times of confusion, I am grateful being admitted to the MPH program as it motivates me not to give up but to keep up-to-date on my skills and knowledge. At the timing of writing, I am in the second semester of my first year of part-time MPH study. Being awarded the UGC Targeted TPg Fellowships is both a good and bad news to me. Financially it could support my learning (provided I meet the condition). Academically, it pushes me to my limits to meet the course requirements. To me, the MPH program is demanding in terms of quantity and quality of work. Population Health is wide in scope and spans across multiple-disciplinaries. The MPH in HKU has a large class size and diverse mix of students. The lecturers are experienced professionals or renowned physicians. There are so much to learn from the lecturers, your classmates, readings, etc. I am yet to start my capstone project nor the practicum. There are still journeys ahead before graduation. By then, maybe my feelings and experience sharing will be more comprehensive.

As one of the celebratory events of the SPH 20th Anniversary, the  Professional Development (PD) Hub  of the School of Public Health hosted a career session by our MPH Alumni, Dr June Leung (MBBS 2008, MPH 2012, MD 2017), to share her reflection on her career journey practising public health in Hong Kong and Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Master of Public Health (MPH) programme is inviting applications for September 2024 intake. ​ For those who are interested in joining the programme, you are most cordially invited to our Information Session where our Academic Director will share information about the unique features of the MPH curriculum, career prospects, scholarship opportunities, as well as details on the UGC Targeted TPg Fellowships for local students. Date: 22 Nov 2023 | 13 Dec 2023 | 17 Jan 2024 (Wed) Time: 7-8pm Format: Online via Zoom Webinar Registration: https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5dsC15e04HaycJg