Work completed by Master of Public Health students was a focus during an annual forum on November 23.
This was the tenth annual Master of Public Health forum showcasing work by MPH students in their 2018 summer practicum placements with provincial and federal public health government agencies and NGO based partners.
The forum included posters and presentations by MPH students. A highlight was the presentation of the Dr. Robert Clarke Public Health Prize for best poster.
Rachel Goodland, (centre) winner of the Dr. Robert Clarke Public Health Prize for the best MPH poster, with (from left) Dr. Andrew Papadopoulos, Coordinator of the MPH program, Melanie LeBlanc, and Rochelle Parcells, Brant County Health Unit, and OVC Alumni Association secretary Dr. Maureen Anderson, OVC 2003.
Rachel Goodland, who completed her summer 2018 practicum with Brant County Health Unit, won for her poster presentation “Identifying suicide prevention strategies for Brant County.” Goodland provided an environmental scan report identifying initiatives and programs to inform suicide prevention in Brant County in order to meet a “zero suicide rate” goal, with both internal activity and advocacy recommendations.
MPH students Amber Gillespie, Leah Hagerman and Michaela Penwarden-Watson were recognized as runners-up in the poster competition.
Amber Gillespie, (centre) with (from left) Dr. Andrew Papadopoulos, Coordinator of the MPH program, and Dr. Jenny Flagler George, Waterloo-Wellington Local Health Integration Network.
Leah Hagerman, (centre) with (from left) Dr. Andrew Papadopoulos, Coordinator of the MPH program, and Dr. Lauren Waller, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto.
Michaela Penwarden-Watson (right) with Dr. Andrew Papadopoulos, Coordinator of the MPH program.
Posters are assessed for context, objective and creativity, appearance and presentation, as well as contribution to the public health field.
The poster prize, which is sponsored by the OVC Alumni Association, is named in honour of Dr. Robert Clarke. Clarke, an OVC DVM 1976 graduate and 1985 PhD alumni in veterinary microbiology, is former deputy chief public health officer with Public Health Agency of Canada. He also held senior executive and research positions at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health Canada, and Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.