ucl application essay - sop
I am applying for the UCL and would greatly appreciate it, if you read through my essay
Financial expenditure in the field of medical and healthcare in China has reached more than 1.5 trillion yuan, and the total number of medical and health institutions now exceeds 1 million, 95% of which are primary medical and healthcare providers. However, the imbalance of medical service provision between regions, the rapid growth of medical costs and insufficient investment in terms of special medical funds are major factors that prevent the development of China's medical and health programmes. The phenomenon of population aging also sets out new requirements for China's medical security system and healthcare services. I hope that through studying UCL's MSc in Health Economics and Decision Science I can learn economic policies, statistics, epidemiology and other professional knowledge in order to promote the high-quality development of the medical and healthcare industries in China and the world.
I am currently studying for a BSc in Economics as part of 2+2 joint program run by Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and the University of Liverpool, and my overall GPA indicates that I should obtain a first-class degree. The course in Maths for Economics and Business has enabled me to master the methods of data processing using time series, the ARCH model, DID and other tools. In my Microeconomics course, I learned the decision-making rules of producers, consumers and governments in the market and the relationships between them. In order to improve my research abilities, I also participated in a training project on the Health Economics Evaluation of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness in Rural Areas of Jiangsu Province. Using the chi-square test and the effect matrix method, and through the cost-effectiveness analysis of hospital survey data, I concluded that the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) is an intervention measure to promote children's health that is worth popularizing. Through the project research, I realized the importance of economic methods in the analysis of health interventions and technologies. I also look forward to learning more in this field at a postgraduate level so that I can contribute to the development of health economics in China in my future career.
As well as studying professional and academic knowledge, I have also actively participated in social practice. In the summer vacation of 2018, I was offered an internship with the Medical Group of Guotai Junan Securities. During my internship, I studied the fundamentals, value composition and profitability of large listed companies such as Yunnan Baiyao and Beijing Tongrentang under the guidance of my instructor. I collated and analyzed market data and industry information on the pharmaceutical business and predicted and analyzed the future profitability of this sector. Combining the data with literature I had collected during the internship, I completed a research report on the development of the Chinese pharmaceutical industry from 2013 to 2017 based on data of China's major listed companies, and at the end of my internship I was rated as an excellent intern. My internship improved my ability to collect and analyze data using statistical software and mathematical models, and also strengthened my determination to study health economics and decision science at the postgraduate stage.
When my studies are complete, I plan to return to China and begin my career with the National Healthcare Security Administration. In the early stages, I will work at the grassroots level, devoting myself to improving the efficiency of using medical and healthcare resources and the level of medical security. In the long run, I hope to become part of the Administration's management team, taking part in formulating and organizing policies and measures to promote the equalization, convenience and extension of basic medical and healthcare services. I am attracted to UCL's course by the curriculum it offers. The Economic Evaluation of Health Care course will enable me to learn how to use cost-benefit, cost-utility and cost-effectiveness analysis methods to measure various interventions in the field of healthcare, while the Health Management: Planning and Programme Design course will teach me how to apply for project financing and how to use data for decision-making in resource-poor environments. In addition to the highly multidisciplinary environment UCL offers, it also has strong links with industry which may offer me the opportunity to undertake an industry placement. I believe that UCL's global reputation, strong teaching staff and supportive campus environment will provide me with the best possible academic support for my personal development and my eventual career. If I am offered a place at UCL I will strive to be a diligent and hardworking student who will go on to become a credit to my profession. Many thanks in advance for considering my application.
