Through the Students Speak series at Avanse Financial Services, we intend to capture the interesting academic journey planning of our study abroad students. In this episode, we are in conversation with Dr Karishma Ajmera, who is all set to pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Birmingham, the UK. So, let’s understand her academic qualifications, university, course, her inspiration to pursue higher education and how she shortlisted her study abroad program.

Academic qualifications 

Karishma had elaborate plans to join a noble profession to make a difference in this world and hence, chose to complete her graduation in Dental Surgery from Rajasthan University of Health Sciences. Post which, she worked as an intern for a year to gain hands-on experience. After successfully completing her internship, she worked as an Associate Dentist at a renowned dental clinic. Currently, she is treating multiple patients as an Associate Dentist at a private clinic.  

Let’s get to know her university better 

The University of Birmingham is a century-old leading public research university that is spread across 672 acres. Every year, ~30,000 study abroad students from various parts of the globe enroll for multiple courses. Students can choose from 350 undergraduate and 600 postgraduate study programs. 

The University of Birmingham ranking:

Ranking platform	Global Rank	The UK Rank
Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2022	105	12
QS World University Rankings, 2022	90	5
US News, 2022	91	9

Let’s explore the course: Master of Public Health 

This is a multidisciplinary study program, and the course duration is one year. The program aims to prepare students to plan, manage and evaluate health services for disease prevention. The coursework is designed to cover interesting subjects such as: 

• Epidemiology
• Statistics
• Health Economics 
• Health Service Management
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Health Information and Health Informatics

Her inspiration to pursue higher studies

Karishma rightly pointed out that every student dreams of pursuing higher education. Initially, she planned to pursue a Master of Dental Surgery (MDS), which is a common option for all the BDS graduates. However, the experience during her internship influenced her to change her plans. During her internship, she made a fascinating discovery that patients suffer due to a lack of awareness. 

Therefore, she decided to study abroad to explore and gain expertise in prevention-focused healthcare. Public Health is both the science and art of preventing illness and creating awareness among the public at large. This course will provide Karishma with the necessary knowledge to create adequate awareness in society, which will improve lives to a great extent.

How she shortlisted the course

For the course, Karishma had two options either to opt for a professionally taught course – Master of Public Health, or a research-oriented course – MSc in Public Health. She shortlisted the universities that offer both courses. After weighing the pros and cons with the help of thorough research, she decided to opt for the MPH study program, which directed her to her dream university. 

So this is all about Karishma’s academic qualifications, university, course, her inspiration to pursue higher education and how she shortlisted her study abroad program. In the next episode, we will cover her interesting research mechanism, why did she plan to study in the UK, her career plans, SOP and more. Meanwhile, if you have any queries, please connect with us. We will be glad to assist you.