Written by Dr Derek Ward
Thank you to everyone who’s welcomed me into this new role. I was fortunate to start in August when plans to welcome our new cohort of students was already well underway, and with lots of help from Tamara, Julie and the module leads, I am well on the way to settling in.
I completed the Birmingham MPH in 2001 as part of the Public Health Specialist Training scheme; it gave me an excellent grounding for subsequent roles in health protection and then horizon scanning and health technology assessment (HTA) here in the University of Birmingham. Currently, I maintain an interest in novel health technologies and HTA (being a member of a NICE technology appraisal committee), public health training (as Deputy Chair of Examiners for the Part A MFPH exam) and medical education, with a focus on assessment methods.
I am now really looking forward to meeting the new cohort of students in September. My aim is to continue to provide a broad-based, rigorous programme that meets the needs of a wide range of different students, including those new to public health as well as those already working in relevant roles. Ultimately, postgraduate education is a partnership between staff and students, so please continue to let us know what you think – both what works well and critically what we need to improve.
Good luck!
