Alumni
Course: 2023-2024
My name is Piera, I am a full-time working mum and a lifelong learner. I graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Parma (Italy) in 2006 at the age of 24, then I obtained two specializations from the University of Milan (the first in 2010 in Small Animals Pathology and Clinic and the second in 2016 in Milk Hygiene and Technologies), a PhD from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation (Germany) in 2013 and a PG Diploma in Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health from the Royal Veterinary College (UK) in 2019. As a PhD student, I have been working in a fantastic, international, multidisciplinary group and that was my first working experience in a One Health context. I also obtained a post-graduate Degree in Economics and Management of Healthcare Systems from the University of Ferrara (Italy) last year. I have been working for 11 years as a Veterinary Officer for the Veterinary Services of South Tyrol, a bilingual (GER/ITA) province in the northern part of Italy. The broader aspects of my work included issues on animal health and welfare, international movements of animals, zoonoses surveillance, and outbreak management. Recently I decided to join the newborn “One Health Unit” at the Department of Prevention of the Local Healthcare System, where I serve as Team Leader of the Health Equity Board and as Vice-Team Leader of the Preparedness (Panflu) Board.
“The last three months were impactful. I stretched myself and I gained a broader, valuable prospect on health. I had the opportunity to interact every week with the instructors and classmates from different backgrounds. We had authentic conversations about the meaning of Global Health, about the most effective tools to investigate and manage the burdens of diseases, and about challenges that we face addressing complex widespread health issues.
As a veterinarian trained in public health, I advocate for adopting the One Health approach. However, this implies a broader understanding about health determinants, in order to be able to implement concrete interventions and policies. As a matter of fact, to design appropriate prevention/preparedness strategies and to ensure the early detection of diseases, it is crucial to be able to address cross-borders diseases and to master responses in an international context. I stepped out of my comfort zone and now I feel more confident when I discuss about health priorities at work. I improved my skills in searching, providing, and presenting data to colleagues, decision-makers, and relevant stakeholders, briefly and systematically, to raise awareness on global health issues that have an impact at local level.
This program is giving me the opportunity to recap some concepts about epidemiology, but also to expand my knowledge about policy decision- making and to explore new subjects, like scaling up projects. Moreover, I am learning how to use practical tools, like writing a memo and applying a SWOT analysis, that I will use at work to produce recommendations effectively.
By far, the most relevant achievement is the development of a new vision of my engagement with global health, as I am shifting from a public/one health approach to a more comprehensive global health mindset”.
My future engagement in Global Health
My motivation has been boosted. Especially my interest in non-communicable diseases is exponentially rising. I realized that before the program I have been so passionate about transmissible diseases that I always prioritized them. However, NCDs have such an increasing impact on the populations, that it would be a rough mistake to underestimate their burden. Importantly, a thorough understanding of the socioeconomic and environmental determinants of NCDs will enable me to better design and manage my current projects on health inequalities.
This master gives me the opportunity to grow in an inspiring learning environment and I am grateful to share this experience with extraordinary classmates. Besides the theoretical basis, the regular classes and group-assignments enhance our ability to apply knowledge to relevant health issues. I felt surprised and emboldened at the same time, when I noticed that we are oft facing the same challenges, even if we work to improve the health status of the population in different settings, sectors, and countries. I think that now we are all looking forward to attending the internship. From this experience I personally expect to gain insights into the concrete interventions that address global health priorities, and I am willing to contribute to their development.
This program is enabling me to apply a wider, comprehensive knowledge, new skills, and a broader mindset directly to my role at workplace. I would pursue a career in the field of Health Equity with a global vision and, in the short-term, I hope to become a valuable ambassador to raise awareness of the major determinants of health at local level, in a high-income area. I am also setting long-term goals and one of them is to strengthen the collaborations with the academic community with three main purposes: to build a bridge between the local health system and the future health professionals, to encourage the adoption of a global vision for the One Health approach, and to embed Health Equity in the curricula.