“I started my MPH journey two years ago through Lakehead University’s online program. I was grateful for the flexibility of the online option, as I was working as a Public Health Inspector in the Infectious Diseases division at a local public health unit (and still am!). Having already been in the field for some time, I was looking to deepen my understanding of public health, and Lakehead’s program provided the perfect opportunity.
The online format allowed me to balance my career and extra-curricular commitments while connecting with a diverse group of public health professionals across the country. Learning from their experiences enriched my own perspective and fostered both personal and professional growth.
For my practicum, I worked at the Public Health Agency of Canada as a Public Health Analyst, where I gained hands-on experience with statistical software and epidemiological assessments. This placement allowed me to see the broader picture- shifting from the provincial to the federal level-and helped me appreciate how all levels of government play a vital role in protecting public health.
Between my practicum and the wide range of teachings at Lakehead, I feel well-equipped to apply the principles and tools I’ve acquired across different public health settings. I am incredibly grateful for my time at Lakehead, and for the support I received from both faculty and peers throughout this journey.”
- Allison Gomes, Master of Public Health, 2025
"It has been four years since I started working toward my Master of Public Health (MPH) while also working full-time as a registered midwife in Kingston. Balancing these two commitments has been challenging, a struggle I'm sure many other Flex students can relate to. For my practicum, I wanted a Public Healthcare placement that would offer intellectual engagement and practical experience in a different cultural setting. After exploring several options, I connected with Dr. Gonçalo Augusto in Portugal, whose global perspective and passion for healthcare reform made him an ideal supervisor.
I’m currently working at the Local Health Unit (LHU) of Santa Maria, just outside Lisbon, which is part of Portugal’s National Health Service (SNS). The region's Health Plan is due for renewal, and Dr. Gonçalo has tasked me with developing a new plan that addresses the social determinants of health and improves care coordination. My role involves reviewing data, assessing the previous plan, and designing a theoretical framework for a new plan. It’s a challenging yet exciting opportunity, given the region's complex socio-economic factors.
In addition to my deliverable, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside public health technicians on a range of tasks, including mosquito egg collection for dengue surveillance, inspecting public facilities like schools, daycares, and senior care homes, and conducting welfare checks on animals in response to abuse complaints. These activities have been eye-opening, highlighting the broad scope of public health responsibilities here.
I am thrilled with my placement—it’s not all work! I live in the coastal town of Cascais and spend my weekends exploring different parts of this beautiful country or visiting old friends in the Algarve where we lived as a family for five years. One evening this week, as I walked by Lisbon’s Praça do Comércio, on my way to the metro I looked up and thought, “How incredibly fortunate am I?” Then I boarded a train, watched the sunset over the ocean, and arrived home to a fresh fish dinner at the café below my flat.”
-Susana Hubbard, Master of Public Health, 2025
To read more of Susana's story, click here!
"Over the past three years, I had the opportunity to complete my Masters of Public Health online through Lakehead University while working as a Public Health Nurse at Toronto Public Health in the Healthy Babies Healthy Children program. Lakehead University’s MPH program was truly designed to allow for flexibility, as I was able to balance my work and grow my family while obtaining a graduate-level education.
Throughout the MPH program, I have had engaging discussions with professors and students from different parts of Canada and the world. I completed my practicum placement with eHealth Innovations at University Health Network virtually, where I saw firsthand what goes into the planning phase of conducting a research study and how digital health applications are used to monitor symptoms and provide education and support for those with chronic disease.
I am glad that I pursued my MPH as it has enhanced my knowledge and better informed my practice which will allow me to further pursue my career goals within Public Health.”
- Siham Haddas, Master of Public Health, 2023
"I really enjoyed my time at Lakehead University for the Master of Public Health program. The online option gave me flexibility that allowed me to also work at St. Michael’s Hospital in the Knowledge Translation Department. I entered the MPH program with a passion for knowledge translation and developed the skills to implement it in research and healthcare through this program. I also discovered a passion for health promotion here. The professors are all very supportive and provide an interesting curriculum! I was also happy to be paired with Dr. Lynn Martin for my Graduate Assistantship, who specializes in knowledge translation, and supported my growth in this area. Shortly after graduating, I was offered a position as a Knowledge Broker for the Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation, which was very exciting for me. I am also working as a part-time Research Coordinator in the Knowledge Translation Department at St. Michael’s Hospital. Overall I am very glad I enrolled in the MPH program at Lakehead University and am grateful for all the doors it has opened for me.”
- Anitha Ithayalingam, Master of Public Health, 2022
"The Masters of Public Health program at Lakehead University has been an extremely positive experience for me. It encompasses learning independently as well as with fellow classmates, great flexibility to study online, and an invaluable practicum experience. At the end of the program, I completed my practicum with the Digital Transformation Branch at Health Canada. I am incredibly excited to have accepted an offer to continue my employment with them as a Data Analyst.
At Health Canada, I have gained a lot of experience reviewing, transforming, validating, analyzing, and reviewing data quality. This helps to provide insights to mitigate risks and strategies to manage those risks for the many departments. Working as an analyst, you will be required to work on many projects at once, and so time management and setting priorities is very important, which is something I was taught early on in my MPH program.
I am grateful for the online learning aspect at Lakehead University, which allowed me to divide my time between studies and family commitments, while striving to earn a professional degree. The greatest accomplishment (to a student), was knowing that I was able to apply the knowledge and skills I had learned from my MPH coursework and put it into my practicum work. This led to self-confidence in the projects I worked on at Health Canada, and I am excited to progress forward and take on challenging roles.”
- Naveen Ahmed, Master of Public Health, 2022
"The MPH program at Lakehead helped me greatly when preparing for my career in Public Health. The courses at Lakehead taught me foundations that I use in my career to date. After graduating, I landed a role with Public Health Sudbury & Districts assisting with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Since then, I have been promoted to a manager for the COVID-19 program. I appreciate all the support I received from my professors at Lakehead - I could not have gotten to where I am without them!”
- Taylor McCharles, Master of Public Health, 2021
"Completing the Master of Public Health (MPH) practicum at my current place of employment…provided new opportunities to work on a different topic....on a different team...and in a different unit. Overall, I was able to apply the knowledge and skills learned in my MPH coursework...Being able to successfully complete a project addressing such a complex public health issue, that for the most part was new to me, has given me confidence in my abilities. This confidence will be applied to new projects as I continue my nursing career with public health and take on more challenging leadership roles."
- Susan Brown-Charbonneau, Master of Public Health, 2020
“After working for several years in preventive health, I was passionate to learn more about the area of public health. Fortunately, the MPH program at Lakehead University offered exactly what I was looking for and more. The program offered a diverse mix of courses and always encouraged students to share their professional experiences related to the topics discussed. Even though the program was offered virtually, I often had the option to attend in-person as I lived in Thunder Bay. This flexibility not only complimented my busy schedule, but also provided opportunities to become more connected with my classmates, professors and program. I was also fortunate to complete my student practicum with NorWest Community Health Centres and created a project to expand health services to those in need within our community. Since graduating, I have been able to apply my MPH learnings within my current position as Patient Safety Improvement Specialist at TBRHSC. My role requires constant critical thinking and using analytic skills to improve patient safety in an acute care setting.
Enrolling in the MPH Program at Lakehead University has helped to further
my career and expand my knowledge within the public health sector.”
- Katherine Mayer, Master of Public Health, 2020
"I had a great experience with the MPH program at Lakehead University. It allowed me the flexibility of studying from home and while travelling. I appreciated how the professors and instructors truly care about their work and student progress. My most memorable experience of the program was engaging with peers and faculty through online communications and presentations.
I completed my practicum placement at the Canadian Public Health Association. Through this experience, I was able to apply all the knowledge and skills from the program in a non-governmental organization which is the national voice and trusted advocate for public health."
- Jennifer Churchill, Master of Public Health, 2018