STATEMENT OF PURPOSE- INTEGRATED MASTERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
Dear Admission Committee, I’m Elizabeth Boateng, a passionate and an academically driven
young Ghanaian. I am eager to pursue an Integrated Master in Public Health at the University of
Alabama at Birmingham. Having grown up in Ghana where Public Health delivery is challenged
by many factors, I have always been keen on contributing significantly to the growth and expansion
of quality public health services and education. Growing up in my community, I volunteered and
participated in several community health education programs targeted at educating local
community members on lifestyle activities aimed at reducing communicable diseases within our
local community. To expand my knowledge in community health education and promotion, I
enrolled and earned a Diploma in Social Work at the School of Social Work in Ghana in 2015, and
subsequently progressed to earn a Degree in Social Work at the Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science and Technology.
Having worked in the last few years closely with local communities in Ghana, critically focused
on various Health related projects where I am responsible for leading various Health promotion
initiatives. I am passioned to pursue a Master's in Public Health with a special focus on Health
Policy and Promotion. This course will expand my knowledge, and provide me with an opportunity
to develop skills and understanding needed to become a leader and change agent for quality public
health delivery in Africa. This degree will help me advance my public health knowledge, and
develop critical skills in the area of Health promotion, health stakeholder collaboration,
community mobilization, health policy, amongst other skills. Public health leaders play critical
role in influencing local, national, and International Health organizations, Master’s in Public health
at University of Alabama at Birmingham offers a perfect platform from which I can begin
impacting healthcare policies in a varied positive way in Ghana and Africa as a whole.
I am very much attracted to the idea of pursuing a Master’s in Public Health degree and I am
convinced that University of Alabama at Birmingham is the best place for me to realize my
professional goals and to learn how to make the most constructive contribution possible to the lives
of others in Africa after graduation. If admitted, I will be an active member of the public health
department of the University, proactively reaching out and working closely with faculty members,
participate in various academic research and activities within the faculty. It is also my outmost
desire to learn from colleague students from around the globe, whilst also sharing my valuable
experiences from Ghana.
Upon graduation, my immediate goal is to return to Ghana and contribute my acquired knowledge
and skills to improve public health delivery and service in Ghana. I plan to take up a leadership
role at the Ministry of Health in Ghana, where I will be positioned to lead and contribute to public
health policies and programs across Ghana.
I firmly believe that the knowledge I will gain upon graduation will help me to develop my critical
thinking skills that will serve me well in my future career endeavors. The University of Alabama
at Birmingham is a global University of high standard education administered to students, this
informed my decision to select the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I am confident that I
can be very successful in your program if given the opportunity and I want to thank you for
consideration of my application.
