By Okeya John
Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) hosted the much-anticipated Career Guidance Session on Friday, October 4, 2024, designed to help prepare students for enhanced career success. The event, held in the MakSPH New Auditorium, brought together students, alumni, and professionals from across the fields to bridge the gap between academic training and real-world career expectations.
Themed “From Class to Industry: Optimizing Public Health Qualifications for Career Success,” the career guidance session offered valuable insights to students, emerging from experts in academia, government, development, and the private sector, to inspire excellence in their career and professional development. The Career Guidance Session, which forms a key activity for the School, coincided with the celebration of our 70th anniversary this year, as Makerere University School of Public Health.
In her impassioned address: delivered with great enthusiasm and conviction, Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, the MakSPH Dean, advised the over 250 students in attendance to plan their lives, noting that young people today cannot just afford to walk through life as if it never happened, a philosophy she said guides her in life.
“Think up the impact you want to create, for me that is the bottom line. You can’t just afford to walk by and leave this world like as if you never existed, that, for me, drives what I do, and I hope it touches you too,” the MakSPH Dean appealed to the students.
Her critical message echoed the sentiments of Prof. Richard Idro, the Deputy Principal of the College of Health Sciences, in his "You Can Be Anything You Want" address to the students during the session. Prof. Idro stressed that with the right mindset, hard work, and perseverance, students can overcome any obstacles to achieve their life goals.
He urged the students to seek mentorship as a vital step toward success. The Deputy Principal also challenged the students to learn from experienced professionals and eventually become mentors themselves, highlighting the value of collaboration, and building social networks within and beyond the public health profession.
“There is so much you can be. You can be anything you want. You are in the best School of Public Health around. I assure you, in the next few years, schools of public health will struggle to beat this School. There is so much we have done previously, there is so much you (Students) are able to do, and we need to grow this School,” Prof. Richard Idro asserted emphatically.
He called for integrity among students and young people, reminding them to exude honesty and faithfulness as key values and explore any resources or opportunities given to them ‘no matter how small they are.’ The Deputy Principal urged the participants to focus on building their professional profiles through research and publication as they grow in their different professional and career paths.
It is worth noting that this year, Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) celebrates 100 years of impactful contributions to teaching and learning. Over the decades, the College has produced graduates well-equipped to address societal health challenges. However, the Dean Makerere University School of Public Health opined that these graduates have a broader role to play in society, both within and beyond the health sector ‘in bettering the lives of others’.
“There are things you can do to make life and this world better for somebody else, for me, that is the ultimate success.” Prof. Wanyenze argued cogently, stating: “You can’t give what you don’t have, you need to grow to be the best you can so that you have something to give others. And giving is not just about knowledge and skills, sometimes what people need to have is just kindness and commitment to make life better for them. So, let us do the best wherever we go, that is what will open doors for you”
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Deogratias Sekimpi, an alumnus of Makerere University School of Public Health, 1981-1982. His presentation reflected on public health education at Makerere dating back to the 1950s, stressing how the School has over the years adapted to the changing public health challenges in Uganda and the globe in terms of training and research, expanding opportunities for professionals.
Dr. Sekimpi encouraged the students to develop technical and soft skills to excel in various career paths, challenging them to master core public health competencies, including having a good knowledge of public health sciences, data assessment, policy and program planning, collaboration, inclusiveness, effective communication, and leadership, to position themselves for success. His keynote address was followed by a panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Rawlance Ndejjo.
The panel featured Dr. Patrick Tusiime, a Commissioner at the Department of Communicable Diseases and Control at Uganda’s Ministry of Health; Mr. Nathan Tumuhamye, from UNDP Uganda; Dr. Adoke Yeka, a Lecturer at MakSPH; Ms. Anna Mary Agaba, a Health Liason Officer at Africa Water Solutions (AWS) and Dr. Anna Nakanwagi-Mukwaya, the Managing Director of MAK4 Ltd – manufacturing skin and hair care products. This panel gave insightful comments on the different public health career pathways available for students from the point of view of practitioners.
It also addressed the barriers to employability faced by many recent graduates, with practical tips for job readiness, and honing soft skills: including crafting excellent cover letters, tailoring CVs to different job descriptions, being tech savvy, overall presentation for job interviews, and pitching for students aiming at self-employment.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Mr. Lubega Vincent Nsamba the 90th Guild President of Makerere University expressed gratitude to the Speakers during the MakSPH Career Guidance Session for the knowledge and guidance offered to the students. He urged students to seize opportunities that enable them to gain exposure and sharpen their skills to meet the ever-evolving demands of the public health sector.
The students, I hope you have benefited from the conversations today. You realize this is a School that has lived for 70 years and has provided leadership in public health and community service. The training in public health is at the centre of solving many challenges facing society, take an example of the recent incident in Kitezi. So, I implore you to seize these opportunities to sharpen your skills and prepare to meet the evolving demands of the public health sector, the Makerere University Guild President said.
The event was closed out by Prof. Elizeus Rutebemberwa, the Deputy Dean, Makerere University School of Public Health, who cautioned students and alumni alike to cultivate good attitudes and make peace with the demands to read and write for continuous learning and enhancement of their career and personal development.
