Student ambassador: Manfred Morchen

Degree: Master of Public Health, part-time distance learning (current Year 3 student)
Location: Philippines
Occupation: Regional Advisor for Inclusive Eye Health for an international NGO in the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea 

What the MPH means to me

The MPH is a great course and its impact on my professional life cannot be overestimated. The meaning of the MPH for me is to get a profound overview about public health and to enable me to improve my professional approach to public health issues.

I enjoy very much the exchanges with tutors, as well as with other students, and getting inputs that are very relevant for my professional career. There have already been tangible changes; for instance, to my way of monitoring and evaluating programmes.

I embarked on the MPH during a very busy time where my wife and I had to move between different countries and even continents several times – so time management and self-motivation were really crucial to meet the demands of study.

During my time in Sierra Leone, I had to cope with erratic internet access and frequent day-long power cuts, which might be a valuable experience to share for students coming from similar countries.  

As a non-native English-speaking student and also somebody who embarked on the MPH after ten years' absence from university, I can share my experiences in readjusting to academic life. I thoroughly enjoy having access to a great library.

Academic background and career

I graduated with a medical degree from Heinrich-Heine-University Dusseldorf, Germany in 1997 and have specialised in ophthalmology throughout my career.

I am currently a Regional Advisor for Inclusive Eye Health for an international NGO in the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea and, prior to this appointment, I was the medical director at eye hospitals in Sierra Leone and Cambodia.

I completed my PhD in Ophthalmology in 2003 in Germany. 

Contact a student ambassador

Email mph.ambassadors@manchester.ac.uk to ask one of our student ambassadors a question about studying public health and primary care at Manchester.