As we enter 2024, I reflect upon distinct aspects of my life that I have been able to experience during the previous year. Honestly, I could not have imagined that I would be studying for a master’s degree again, and even less at the University of Oxford. It is curious how a simple search for high-quality executive training rapidly evolved into a life-transforming experience.
Long story short, I obtained the MSc in Global Health Leadership Programme brochure using my email to download it and a week later I received an email from the fabulous recruiter, Laura Loudon. Laura and the team followed up by inviting me to some useful webinars with students from Cohort 1 to orient myself with the programme, and their experiences to balance their lives between learning at the University of Oxford, work, and private life. I later received a couple of motivational emails inviting me to apply for the programme, and for prestigious scholarship, the MSc in Global Health Leadership Director’s Award.
This process made me wonder if I could become a ‘candidate’ for Oxford. I decided that I was ready to take my chances by applying for the programme. I wrote the cover letter, two essays as part of the application, another one for the MSc in Global Health Leadership Director’s Award, and a waiver letter request for the English test. After writing all those papers I had a mixed feeling of feeling like I had presented a solid application, but at the same time, I also felt some impostor’s syndrome.
Several weeks later I got the great news that I had been accepted into the Cohort 2 of the programme at Saïd Business School and the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, and a couple of days later, voilà! I received notification of being awarded the Director’s Award. A rollercoaster of positive emotions came through the following days and weeks before arranging everything needed to complete registration for the programme. I am grateful for the assistance provided by the recruitment and registration teams, who helped and guided me through it.
Receiving the Director’s Award was a desired but unexpected high honour, and its dimension became more evident once I met my cohort colleagues; I really cannot explain how I got the highest award among this group of amazing healthcare professionals and leaders. All of them deserve it too! I am humbled and delighted to be part of a group of talented, passionate, experienced and compassionate individuals, that I now consider extended family from around the globe. Laura Loudon and the programmes Executive team are doing an outstanding job choosing candidates. I can attest to this after meeting my dear colleagues on day one of the programme.
Being a scholar has also allowed me to connect with other fantastic professionals who also received the Director’s Award and Women Leadership Award for the Executive MBA and MSc in Major Programme Management, the Oxford Global Health Society (OGHS), and the Oxford Business Health Network (OBN). I consider these connections themselves as an extension of the award.
Receiving the scholarship has helped me to make one of my craziest dreams come true, to study at the University of Oxford surrounded by the brightest minds in the world. If someone is reading these lines and considering applying for the programme and the Director’s Award, do not hesitate for a second! You will join a world-class organisation, and be actively involved in state-of-the-art learning on leadership, management and innovation in the public and private health sector with faculty, fellow students and invitees who are second to none.
It will change your life!
I look forward to the next five modules in 2024 to continue exploring ways to improve global health through effective leadership globally, to share insights with my Cohort 2 family, and to extend our network with MSc in Global Healthcare Leadership Cohort 3!
