Hey everybody,
i am applying for a joint degree MSW/MPH and need some advice on my letter of purpose. Thanks so much!
It was late evening at Ngare Nanyuki High School, a small boarding school in rural Northern Tanzania, where me and five other German students were studying for four weeks in the summer of 2008. A power generator was buzzing afar, the sole source of electricity for the school's classrooms; without it, there would be no light after sunset, making studying at that time impossible. I was sitting outside one of these rooms with a newfound friend, a young girl only a few years older than me, when she suddenly started to sob uncontrollably. As her tears subsided and she started to speak, her voice trembled with fear. She told me that she recently had unprotected sex with another student and was now afraid of a possible pregnancy or infection with HIV. With the intent to comfort her, I leaned in for a hug, but my friend quickly jerked away. Her knowledge of HIV/AIDS was rudimentary; she did not know that it cannot be transmitted through a simple hug.
My friend's sexual activity and possible pregnancy defied the strict Tanzanian principles which the High School obeyed. Due to the implicit understanding that premarital sex is a taboo, there is little possibility to openly discuss sexual issues. Hence, the school unfortunately failed to be a source of support and education on reproductive health issues during its adolescent students time of sexual development and curiosity. Unlike my Tanzanian peers, I was provided with thorough sexual education throughout Middle School and grew up in a society where easy access to contraceptives and testing for sexually transmitted diseases is the status quo. I, myself, had taken all this for granted and my own ignorance and privileges overwhelmed me with feelings of guilt and embarrassment. In agreement with the Tanzanian students, our group took on the role of a neutral entity and reached out to the school's faculty to initiate a discussion about possible sexual education classes that would be culturally sensitive but also successfully target the students' reproductive health needs. When I first boarded the plane headed towards Tanzania, my adolescent self had no prescience that I would return a changed person determined to dedicate my academic and professional life to solve health disparities and serve people and communities in need.
The sensibility for people's backgrounds, cultures and their traditions was a pervasive topic throughout my undergraduate degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology. The coursework has equipped me with an extensive open-mindedness and skills to neutrally mediate between opposing parties or ethnicities. As a volunteer for the charity supporting the Tanzanian High School, I am utilizing these skills in combination with a cooperative mindset which favors the involvement of the affected people over a unilateral, detached planning and implementation process. I perceive such as a powerful tool, essential for the lasting success of a community-based aid or health promotion program. Today, Ngare Nanyuki High School has stable electricity and water supply, offers sexual education and health classes as well as a facilitated access to contraceptives and its holistic development of social and environmental issues is nationally praised as a successful model concept.
During my sophomore year, I was introduced to the various facets of Public Health, specifically Maternal and Child Health. Professor Dr. XXX class 'Sex and Society : The Anthropology of Reproduction' provided me with a comprehensive content knowledge of the American obstetric system and its medicalization of childbirth. The dichotomy between evidence-based-research and prevalent forms of practice, especially the increasing numbers of Cesarean Sections and its causes and effects, sparked my interest and quickly turned into a passion for the field of Maternal and Child Health.
Consequently, for my Bachelor's thesis, I chose to research the effect continuous labor support in the form of a Doula can have on the birthing result of a woman who pursues a vaginal birth after a Cesarean Section (VBAC). As part of my degree, I had received through training in the various methods of empirical research and thus, I was skilled to conduct qualitative interviews with numerous Doulas who serve the ---- area. I also reached out to their clients with the help of an online survey consisting of qualitative and quantitative questions. Overall, this combination allowed me to gather profound data which showed that the prenatal, postpartum as well as continuous intrapartum support provided by Doulas can be associated with the positive and successful outcome of the trial of labor after a previous surgical delivery. However, I found the stigmatization of mothers who feel unsatisfied, distressed or even traumatized by a previous birthing experience especially striking. The positive impact a Doula can hereby have on the mental well-being of an expectant mother is undeniable and highlights the often overlooked social, emotional and environmental facets of childbirth. I am deeply driven to further explore these determinants to identify protective factors against poor birth outcomes including maternal trauma and depression as well as infant morbidity and mortality.
I first witnessed the overwhelming consequences of distress and trauma on mental health during a practicum with the Disaster Services Department of the American Red Cross. It was my responsibility to perform needs assessments and work in-depth with the Disaster victims to create individualized recovery plans. It was crucial that these proposals did not only meet the urgent, disaster-caused needs, but also target long-term challenges by ensuring continuity and sufficient emotional and material support and resources. The extensive interaction with the affected individuals and families has revealed the social and health inequities prevalent in zzz and zzz County. Here, similar to the findings of my research, I have seen that mental health is a crucial part of overall well-being, but however, it is not always given the priority it deserves and still often stigmatized by society. I am confident that mental health programs focusing on both prevention and intervention have the potential to alter the course of this notion in order to improve quality of life for the affected communities and its individuals.
My research, internship and volunteer activities have confirmed my deep desire to become a problem solver in the fields of Public Health and Social Work alike. I imagine myself playing an ongoing role, either locally or internationally, in helping people and communities respond to poor birth outcomes and postpartum trauma. Maternal and Child well-being determines the health of the next generation and thus, can predict and obviate future public health challenges for families, communities and the health care system. I want to be an advocate who understands the underpinning health issues underserved populations face as well as a pioneer in creating solutions for healthier mothers and infants. The joint degree Master of Public Health/Master of Social Work from the University of xxx will equip me with practical skills to turn my passion into a career and to take action that empowers communities and its individuals to heal. The multidisciplinary training in both Public Health and Social Work, prevention and intervention, appeals to me and will enable me to bridge the gap between research and practice in order to create healthy communities. The University of xxx is the ideal institution to support these academic pursuits since the Center for Health Equity's work on Maternal and Child Health dovetails perfectly with my research interests. I believe I would be a valuable asset to the team's endeavors to solve complex pregnancy health issues, specifically with my research focus on improving postpartum depression and birth outcomes. In particular, the multi-prolonged and holistic approach utilized by Dr. yyy to reduce the high infant mortality rate prevalent in zzz County is very intriguing to me as a path for future research in both Public Health and Social Work. Likewise, I am drawn to the program's strong emphasis on community based learning. I am excited for this opportunity to translate classroom knowledge in practical field experience through collaborations and internships as the zzz area offers a plethora of local community partners such as z, y or x which fuse the disciplines of Social Work and Public Health.
In the future, I envision programs that acknowledge the importance of both physical and mental health needs. I envision communities that work together to overcome health disparities and unite to prevent poor postpartum health from afflicting multiple generations. I envision women who make empowered choices about their birthing experiences and who are actively engaged in changing the patterns of maternal and infant health in their communities. I desire to use my research skills, dedication and heart for justice as catalysts in designing and executing such social interventions. And I believe that my admission to the University of xxx School of Public Health and School of Social Work is pivotal to making this vision a reality.
i am applying for a joint degree MSW/MPH and need some advice on my letter of purpose. Thanks so much!
It was late evening at Ngare Nanyuki High School, a small boarding school in rural Northern Tanzania, where me and five other German students were studying for four weeks in the summer of 2008. A power generator was buzzing afar, the sole source of electricity for the school's classrooms; without it, there would be no light after sunset, making studying at that time impossible. I was sitting outside one of these rooms with a newfound friend, a young girl only a few years older than me, when she suddenly started to sob uncontrollably. As her tears subsided and she started to speak, her voice trembled with fear. She told me that she recently had unprotected sex with another student and was now afraid of a possible pregnancy or infection with HIV. With the intent to comfort her, I leaned in for a hug, but my friend quickly jerked away. Her knowledge of HIV/AIDS was rudimentary; she did not know that it cannot be transmitted through a simple hug.
My friend's sexual activity and possible pregnancy defied the strict Tanzanian principles which the High School obeyed. Due to the implicit understanding that premarital sex is a taboo, there is little possibility to openly discuss sexual issues. Hence, the school unfortunately failed to be a source of support and education on reproductive health issues during its adolescent students time of sexual development and curiosity. Unlike my Tanzanian peers, I was provided with thorough sexual education throughout Middle School and grew up in a society where easy access to contraceptives and testing for sexually transmitted diseases is the status quo. I, myself, had taken all this for granted and my own ignorance and privileges overwhelmed me with feelings of guilt and embarrassment. In agreement with the Tanzanian students, our group took on the role of a neutral entity and reached out to the school's faculty to initiate a discussion about possible sexual education classes that would be culturally sensitive but also successfully target the students' reproductive health needs. When I first boarded the plane headed towards Tanzania, my adolescent self had no prescience that I would return a changed person determined to dedicate my academic and professional life to solve health disparities and serve people and communities in need.
The sensibility for people's backgrounds, cultures and their traditions was a pervasive topic throughout my undergraduate degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology. The coursework has equipped me with an extensive open-mindedness and skills to neutrally mediate between opposing parties or ethnicities. As a volunteer for the charity supporting the Tanzanian High School, I am utilizing these skills in combination with a cooperative mindset which favors the involvement of the affected people over a unilateral, detached planning and implementation process. I perceive such as a powerful tool, essential for the lasting success of a community-based aid or health promotion program. Today, Ngare Nanyuki High School has stable electricity and water supply, offers sexual education and health classes as well as a facilitated access to contraceptives and its holistic development of social and environmental issues is nationally praised as a successful model concept.
During my sophomore year, I was introduced to the various facets of Public Health, specifically Maternal and Child Health. Professor Dr. XXX class 'Sex and Society : The Anthropology of Reproduction' provided me with a comprehensive content knowledge of the American obstetric system and its medicalization of childbirth. The dichotomy between evidence-based-research and prevalent forms of practice, especially the increasing numbers of Cesarean Sections and its causes and effects, sparked my interest and quickly turned into a passion for the field of Maternal and Child Health.
Consequently, for my Bachelor's thesis, I chose to research the effect continuous labor support in the form of a Doula can have on the birthing result of a woman who pursues a vaginal birth after a Cesarean Section (VBAC). As part of my degree, I had received through training in the various methods of empirical research and thus, I was skilled to conduct qualitative interviews with numerous Doulas who serve the ---- area. I also reached out to their clients with the help of an online survey consisting of qualitative and quantitative questions. Overall, this combination allowed me to gather profound data which showed that the prenatal, postpartum as well as continuous intrapartum support provided by Doulas can be associated with the positive and successful outcome of the trial of labor after a previous surgical delivery. However, I found the stigmatization of mothers who feel unsatisfied, distressed or even traumatized by a previous birthing experience especially striking. The positive impact a Doula can hereby have on the mental well-being of an expectant mother is undeniable and highlights the often overlooked social, emotional and environmental facets of childbirth. I am deeply driven to further explore these determinants to identify protective factors against poor birth outcomes including maternal trauma and depression as well as infant morbidity and mortality.
I first witnessed the overwhelming consequences of distress and trauma on mental health during a practicum with the Disaster Services Department of the American Red Cross. It was my responsibility to perform needs assessments and work in-depth with the Disaster victims to create individualized recovery plans. It was crucial that these proposals did not only meet the urgent, disaster-caused needs, but also target long-term challenges by ensuring continuity and sufficient emotional and material support and resources. The extensive interaction with the affected individuals and families has revealed the social and health inequities prevalent in zzz and zzz County. Here, similar to the findings of my research, I have seen that mental health is a crucial part of overall well-being, but however, it is not always given the priority it deserves and still often stigmatized by society. I am confident that mental health programs focusing on both prevention and intervention have the potential to alter the course of this notion in order to improve quality of life for the affected communities and its individuals.
My research, internship and volunteer activities have confirmed my deep desire to become a problem solver in the fields of Public Health and Social Work alike. I imagine myself playing an ongoing role, either locally or internationally, in helping people and communities respond to poor birth outcomes and postpartum trauma. Maternal and Child well-being determines the health of the next generation and thus, can predict and obviate future public health challenges for families, communities and the health care system. I want to be an advocate who understands the underpinning health issues underserved populations face as well as a pioneer in creating solutions for healthier mothers and infants. The joint degree Master of Public Health/Master of Social Work from the University of xxx will equip me with practical skills to turn my passion into a career and to take action that empowers communities and its individuals to heal. The multidisciplinary training in both Public Health and Social Work, prevention and intervention, appeals to me and will enable me to bridge the gap between research and practice in order to create healthy communities. The University of xxx is the ideal institution to support these academic pursuits since the Center for Health Equity's work on Maternal and Child Health dovetails perfectly with my research interests. I believe I would be a valuable asset to the team's endeavors to solve complex pregnancy health issues, specifically with my research focus on improving postpartum depression and birth outcomes. In particular, the multi-prolonged and holistic approach utilized by Dr. yyy to reduce the high infant mortality rate prevalent in zzz County is very intriguing to me as a path for future research in both Public Health and Social Work. Likewise, I am drawn to the program's strong emphasis on community based learning. I am excited for this opportunity to translate classroom knowledge in practical field experience through collaborations and internships as the zzz area offers a plethora of local community partners such as z, y or x which fuse the disciplines of Social Work and Public Health.
In the future, I envision programs that acknowledge the importance of both physical and mental health needs. I envision communities that work together to overcome health disparities and unite to prevent poor postpartum health from afflicting multiple generations. I envision women who make empowered choices about their birthing experiences and who are actively engaged in changing the patterns of maternal and infant health in their communities. I desire to use my research skills, dedication and heart for justice as catalysts in designing and executing such social interventions. And I believe that my admission to the University of xxx School of Public Health and School of Social Work is pivotal to making this vision a reality.
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