After several years working as a physiotherapist, Monique Nguyen made the decision to return to study with a clear purpose in mind. Enrolling in the Graduate Certificate in Public Health at Flinders University, she wanted to expand her impact beyond individual care and better understand how health can be shaped at a population level. 

Monique completed the Graduate Certificate in Public Health with a focus on health promotion, social determinants of health, First Nations health and wellbeing, and qualitative research. Returning to university after a break, she brought with her valuable clinical experience that shaped how she approached her studies. 

My work as a physiotherapist has given me experience with people one on one, but I’m interested to see what can be done on a larger scale. 

I’ve really enjoyed learning how so many different factors contribute to an individual’s health, and this has influenced the way that I think about my patient’s overall health. 

Her decision to study at Flinders was informed by conversations with colleagues who had completed public health study and spoke highly of the program’s structure and relevance. 

I had spoken to a colleague who had just completed their Masters of Public Health. They had enjoyed the program, found the subjects interesting, and the course was well organised. 

Throughout the course, Monique found learning engaging and grounded in real-world issues. One standout experience came through her studies in social determinants of health, particularly hearing from professionals working directly in the field. 

I really enjoyed the guest speaker we had on domestic violence. It was great to hear about someone working in that field specifically and to learn about how insidious domestic violence can be. 

Looking ahead, Monique is driven by a strong commitment to population health and policy development, with a particular interest in preventing gender-based violence. 

My career goal is to work in population health and inform policy. I would love to work in the public service to help shape health policy and advocate for the value of allied health. 

As a fully online student, flexibility was essential. Monique says Flinders made it easy to balance study with other commitments. 

I was a purely online student and Flinders made this really easy and accessible for me. It was a bit daunting coming back to study after a break, but the lecturers and tutors made it feel easy and exciting to come back into. 

Through public health study at Flinders, Monique has found a pathway that builds on her clinical background while opening doors to broader, system-level change.