Discovering My Role in International Health - Through Practical Experience

Boston University (BU) was integral to my success during my one-year practicum as a Global Health Corps Fellow, as a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer, with Dignitas International in Zomba, Malawi.  At BU, I discovered M&E. I was drawn to M&E because it uses evidence-based research to improve health programs.  To me, it was the perfect way to blend my technical skills as an engineer, with my passion for international health.  At BU, faculty mentors helped me select appropriate internships and coursework to develop the skills necessary to succeed in the international M&E field, and BU also helped me secure an international M&E practicum.

During my practicum, I worked on several projects. The most impactful was a four-month quality improvement study to understand how health facilities in southern Malawi manage HIV defaulters. Extensive research has been done to understand HIV defaulters at the patient-level, but little to understand what organizational/facility-level approaches work best. For this study, I developed the proposal and baseline survey, analyzed the results, and made evidence-based recommendations for improvement. These are all skills I acquired at BU.

Through my practicum, I learned how difficult it is to juggle the complicated relationships between NGOs, government, and most importantly, the community. My practicum helped me discover my inherent strengths, and that I excel in building partnerships and working with diverse groups. In the future I plan to utilize these strengths, and focus on a career in strategic partnership development between community, non-profit, private, and government stakeholders in international health.