Master of Science in Tropical Medicine

For the purpose of working in the humanitarian field and to gain more experience in public health and tropical diseases, I decided to enrol in the MSc in Tropical Medicine (MTM). The Postgraduate Certificate in Tropical Medicine and International Health (TMIH) forms the core module of the master’s degree and contains a diversity of lessons on global health care, epidemiology, and the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. For the second semester, I got the opportunity to create an individual study plan to deepen my knowledge of certain topics that interested me, such as tuberculosis and HIV. Additional courses helped me to learn more about the fundamentals of scientific research, how to perform clinical studies and how to evaluate and improve health interventions.

ITM offers well designed courses with experienced teachers who do not only teach theoretical knowledge, but also practical and hands-on knowledge that is useful for actual work in the field. The international study environment allows you to interact and exchange experience with students from all over the world. The course and teaching variety helped me to improve skills such as structuring and presenting knowledge, but also using limited resources to find solutions for a variety of problems. Overall, it was an intense and very enriching year and I can definitely recommend giving it a try.

It is difficult to find a course addressing the needs of a budding clinician-scientist in infectious diseases. This is where the MSc in Tropical Medicine comes in to bridge that gap. With well-seasoned faculty, including infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists, and laboratory experts for teaching, mentoring and coaching in a conducive environment like the Institute of Tropical Medicine, makes the experience worthwhile. The additional aspect of field work brings a different dimension to this master's, which is lacking in other courses. In the MTM, I had the experience of undertaking my research work with Janssen Pharmaceutica, which was my field research, and gained valuable knowledge. Students also have the opportunity to learn through peer support and experience sharing. The master's has helped me set up my clinical research activities in my home facility at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital in Ghana. I can truly recommend this course!

Tropical regions face numerous health challenges, often with limited resources for addressing them. The MSc in Tropical Medicine is designed to prepare healthcare experts with the necessary knowledge and skills to tackle these challenges effectively. The programme offered me a very engaging and purposeful experience. It combined theoretical and practical courses that simulate real-life tropical settings. Starting with a solid foundation in international public health, the programme provided specialised courses tailored to meet the professional needs of each student under the guidance of experienced lecturers. These courses comprehensively addressed a wide range of communicable, non-communicable, and other public health concerns in tropical settings.

Personally, the unique training I gained at ITM paved the way for me to earn a PhD position in medical research at a renowned institution in Australia. It set me on track to significantly impact public health in my home country – Cameroon. The MTM programme is characterised by its holistic approach to course delivery. Highly trained and experienced lecturers deliver engaging lectures in a relaxed learning environment, which is further enriched by insightful field trips. Students are encouraged to express their ideas, enabling personal growth and development. The programme's strength is further amplified by the diverse student body, who come from different parts of the world. This diversity fosters interactions that enhance the learning process, offering students invaluable training opportunities and exposing them to global perspectives.

I confidently recommend the MSc in Tropical Medicine to those who aspire to make global impact in the field of health. This programme offers a distinctive and immersive educational journey that equips students with the necessary tools and experiences to contribute to international health.

Maria Pinedo completed the MSc in Tropical Medicine, orientation biomedical sciences, in 2023. Find out what her experience was like: