MSc One Health: End of term reflections

11 April 2022

Amy from the UK is studying the MSc One Health: Ecosystems, Humans & Animals offered jointly between LSHTM and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). She reflects on the last few months and share her experience of the course so far.

"With the Easter break marking the end of my taught modules on the MSc One Health course, the last week has become a time of reflection for me…

Having come straight from a BSc in Biomedical Science, and spending some time working with a Public Health Intelligence Team in Lincolnshire, I wasn’t sure what to expect from diving into new studies I’d never explored before: the veterinary and environmental aspects of health. But, I was excited to learn about how these seemingly separate fields of research interplay with each other, and contribute my own knowledge to One Health, which is what really drew me to apply for the course.

The sharing of personal knowledge and experience is what has been so special about One Health, and what I have enjoyed the most - I’ve been able to learn just as much from my classmates who have come from a diverse range of backgrounds, as from my instructors at the forefront of their field. On the MSc One Health course, I’ve really honed my skills in collaborative projects (which need strong, clear science communication), policy brief writing, statistics, and economic cost-benefit analyses - amongst many others!

While this year has been my first time navigating a blend of online and in-person teaching, both LSHTM and the RVC have made the learning curve a little smoother with weekly guidance and timetables detailing the times, places, and platforms for all my sessions. But blended learning hasn’t always been easy, and having my own toolbox of locations and techniques has helped me get the best out of my self-directed studies. As a self-proclaimed bookworm, my personal favourite study locations have been the Waterstones cafe - and the second floor desk - on Gower Street, as well as the LSHTM library, but beyond the study rooms available on campus there’s endless locations you can mix and match to get a change of scenery and avert the Zoom class blues. Local libraries and cafes are your bread and butter for studying, a tasty caffeine or sugar fix, and the latest fiction titles to escape academia."