Anna is a MSc Global Maternal Health Student. Since beginning the course, she has become a lecturer in Midwifery at a higher education institution.
Life before City
What were you doing before you came to study at City?
I was a practicing midwife in a community in Bristol. Since beginning the course I’ve got a job as a lecturer in Midwifery at University of West of England. I trained as a midwife later in life, initially motivated by the politics surrounding women’s rights and feminism.
I was a political activist working on social justice issues before I began training to become a midwife. My parents were also activists, they were involved in setting up health projects in southern Africa in the 70s and 80s. In some ways the Global Maternal Health master’s brings together those two sides of my life.
How did you develop an interest in your course and why did you choose to study this course?
I applied for the course because the curriculum seemed really fascinating. I knew of the lecturers who would be teaching on the course, so I chose City because I really wanted to have the opportunity to learn from them. I’ve now ended up with a fantastic new job off the back of doing this master’s.
I'm very interested in the political side of health inequalities. I’m also interested in the global aspect, partly because of my family background and I have some international connections.
But I also think it's really important because I don't think you can fully understand health inequalities and health outcomes, without looking at the global perspective, because increasingly we are in this international world. As there’s been such an increase in migration over the past few years, even if you’re doing healthcare in Britain, it’s still important to understand healthcare and maternal health in the global context.
Studying at City
How have you found the teaching and facilities on your course?
The teaching has been outstanding, anyone on the course would agree. The lecturers are so inspirational and real leaders in their field. They’ve lined up absolutely amazing lecturers from all over the world for some of our modules. We’ve had people come to speak to us from UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), midwives running innovative projects in India and Mexico, and people setting up birth centres in the Czech republic, all which was really exciting.
City has great connections with professional networks, such as the Midwifery Unit Network and others, which provide great opportunities for us. Not only is the department full of academic expertise, but also activists who really make positive changes and influence policy in Midwifery and women’s health. It has been wonderful making connections with the other students who also come from different backgrounds and have so much to offer.
Future plans
How will these experiences help you with your future career?
As part of my one of my assignments, which will also feed into my dissertation, I’ve been working with established academics on a funded research project. So far the project has been a great opportunity for me to get involved in real research, and may lead to bigger projects in future.
It looks at black and brown women’s access to midwifery led care settings; what barriers there may be; and how to provide top quality care for those in communities with barriers. It’s definitely a project that is key to making a real difference for women.
What would be your advice to anyone considering studying this course?
This course is rich in resources, and provides so many fantastic opportunities which you won’t get access to anywhere else. Having professionals with such high levels of knowledge and expertise sharing their experience in maternal health with us is a real gift. But be prepared to put in the work to get the most out of it.
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