UQ physiotherapy student tackles global health issues
University students from across the globe are exploring the connections between society, economics, environment and health at the U21 Health Sciences Summer School in Johannesburg.
UQ physiotherapy student Leah Davis and nursing and midwifery students Elizabeth Bartetzko, Anne Tin and Sophie Bonser are representing the University of Queensland at the event.
Ms Davis said her passion for the sociological study of human health had been fired by the class, gender and ethnicity disadvantage she had observed.
“I’m from a rural Queensland town where I attended public schools, worked at the local pharmacy and stood in lines at the financial aid offices,” she said.
“It was within these environments, surrounded by members of every class and nationality, that I first started to foster the idea that people’s health can’t be solely determined by a purely biomedical model.
“Attending this summer school is a dream come true that will allow me to gain knowledge and develop tools to help those who weren’t lucky enough to be born within the bubble of privilege.
“I’m most excited to be given the opportunity to grow as a person and as a health student.
“I believe in the importance of expanding my world beyond the life I know and am used to, and so it is going to be life-changing to witness first-hand the health struggles those in developing countries experience.”
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Associate Dean (Academic) Professor Sarah Roberts-Thomson said the students were ideal candidates to represent UQ.
“They have such an exciting opportunity to collaborate and share knowledge, expertise and experiences with other health students from across the world,” Professor Roberts-Thomson said.
“The interdisciplinary discussions and interaction will be invaluable to their personal and career journeys ahead.”
The theme of the summer school at the University of Johannesburg is Global Health and the Social Determinants of Health.
Students will visit private and public health care facilities and cultural and historical sites, meet with communities, and participate in interdisciplinary activities.
The summer school will bring together students from dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, midwifery, nutrition, medicine, public health, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, audiology and optometry, all from U21 Health Sciences Group member universities.
About the University of Queensland Physiotherapy program
The University of Queensland offers a learning environment and has assessment requirements designed to facilitate the advanced and intensive learning appropriate for a master’s-level program. The Master of Physiotherapy Studies introduces graduates to the profession of physiotherapy and its key concepts in intensive mode during an initial summer semester. UQ physiotherapy students develop an understanding of the principles of scientific method, critical analysis and research design and apply them to professional practice. Students learn to appreciate the physiotherapist’s role in health promotion, injury prevention and effective treatment planning, implementation and evaluation.
Did you know there are approximately 40 spots available in the program? For the 2017 intake, 17 OzTREKK students accepted their international student offers!
Program: Master of Physiotherapy Studies
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Next available intake: November 2018
Duration: 2 years
Application deadline: UQ has a general application deadline of May 30 each year; however, candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible.
Apply now to the UQ Physiotherapy School!
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