PHDA testimonials

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PHDA Overall program/course experience
"It was really good for me to gain more experience working with large data sets and use a secure research environment to get used to the complexities of various kinds of datasets we come across daily. The spatial data and network analysis work, applied longitudinal analysis techniques and foundational SAS skills I learned really benefitted my research work. Now when I am faced with new problems, I feel better equipped and much more confident to handle them.

I have done some online courses before. I felt the courses in this program were well organized. The labs were very useful and very applied, instructors were always available to answer questions and the weekly or biweekly course modules provided structure but also some flexibility."

Gina Martin, Research Associate, Centre for Addictions Research of BC

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PHDA full testimonial
How did you learn about the program and what motivated you to enroll?

I learned about the PHDA program through browsing on web and was motivated to get more training in population health data analysis while working full-time.

Tell us about your course experience. What skills did you develop and which courses provided the greatest benefit to you?

Although the course load was a bit heavy at times, I think I’ve learned a lot and developed hands-on experience in analyzing population health data using SAS and ArcGIS.

How have you been able to (or how do you plan to) apply your new skills in your work/research?

I have not yet had a chance to utilize all the knowledge and skills I’ve gained in my current work, but definitely have a better understanding of results that are analyzed using ArcGIS.

What do you think were the strengths of this program? Please provide examples.

The strengths of this program include: good organization of coursework, exposure to variety of relevant topics, hands-on experience using several analytical software, excellent support and feedback by instructors, and a flexible schedule.

Would you recommend this program to others? If so, what recommendations/suggestions would you give those interested in applying to this program?

I would definitely recommend colleagues and others to take this program for further professional development.

Any additional comments you would like to add?

My program experience has been great and thank you for all the support I received from instructors and staff members in the PHDA program.

 

Lily Zhou, Epidemiologist, Health Surveillance

 

PHDA 03 Population Health and Geographical Information Systems
"I took the PHDA 03 course to update my data analysis and GIS skills so that I could apply them to my current position as senior policy analyst in environmental health. I have a number of years of policy analysis experience, which I felt would be complemented by focused studies on the application of data analysis and GIS to population and public health policy questions. The course provided a comprehensive overview of how GIS can be used to investigate various population and public health questions including: mapping administrative data; use of spatial targeting, tailoring and generating to inform health policy development; estimating access to health care services; chronic and communicable disease surveillance; and environmental health and exposure assessment. The flexibility of distance learning meant that it was possible to complete work at my own pace and schedule. It was also helpful to learn from students in different locations, who worked in related fields but had different strengths, skills and perspectives.

I would highly recommend this course and the PHDA program to my colleagues. It’s a well-structured and organized program and provides a good theoretical and practical approach to population health data analysis."

Esther Parker, Senior Policy Analyst, BC Ministry of Health

 

PHDA 06 Health Services Program Monitoring and Evaluation
"I enjoyed the PHDA 06 Health Services Program Monitoring and Evaluation course the most. Although I had taken an evaluation course in my Master’s program, I found the PHDA 06 course very good at clarifying information and dividing the evaluation process into very practical/applied steps/stages."

Navdeep Sandhu, Research Assistant, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University

 

PHDA 04 Spatial Epidemiology and Outbreak Detection
"The courses that provided me the greatest benefit included the Population Health and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Spatial Epidemiology and Outbreak Detection.

Using the GIS and SAS skills that I learned from the PHDA program, I was able to create a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) layer using GIS software, which showed peak greenness for the entire country over a ten-year period. Using this data and other administrative databases a team of researchers led by Dr. Dan Crouse and myself, conducted a research study that looked at how living by residential greenspace can impact longevity."

Adele Balram, Data Analyst, New Brunswick Institute for Research and Data Training

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