Master of Science in Tropical Medicine - orientation Biomedical Sciences

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.

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