Future doctors shift focus: rising interest in public health post-COVID

he impact of COVID-19 and the surge in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have sparked a growing interest among medical graduates in public health specialisation, according to Dr Damian Cohall, dean of the faculty of medicine at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.

Speaking to journalists after Monday’s Hippocratic oath ceremony for new Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) graduates at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s auditorium, Dr Cohall highlighted a significant shift in the aspirations of budding doctors. The pandemic and the rising tide of NCDs have prompted many to consider careers focused on public health, he said.

“We have quite a number of our graduates who opt to take the academic medicine route, and after finishing their MBA degree they move into doing their Master of Public Health. We have a few graduates who are doing research-based programmes in public health, Masters of Philosophy in Public Health, [and] we are now in the midst of discussions about a global health programme,” Dr Cohall explained.

He emphasised the urgency of addressing the “silent pandemic” of chronic non-communicable diseases, stating that the medical graduates were “keen to lead by example, not just through advocacy, but through actions” that could help reduce the burden of NCDs in Barbados.

“We really have to fix those numbers going forward,” Dr Cohall said

Dr Kenneth Connell, deputy dean of recruitment and outreach, echoed these sentiments. He noted a heightened awareness among students of the link between clinical medicine and broader social determinants of health. “[During my time] in medical school we focused a lot on illness or sickness . . . these guys, Gen Z, are focused so much more on health and wellness and maintaining it,” Dr Connell observed. “They are quite eager to get involved in public health policy and crafting the agenda for the next health landscape.”

In response to these changing attitudes, the MBBS exam has undergone a significant transformation. Dr Cohall explained that the previously speciality-specific exams have been replaced with a more comprehensive, hybrid format covering various disciplines. This change, implemented after extensive consultation with students and local health stakeholders, aims to produce more well-rounded medical practitioners, the explained.

“What we are looking for is a medical graduate who is recognised, not just as a general practitioner, but someone who can facilitate care in all those three to four major disciplines I described, [and] also to see those disciplines being manifested in an integrated way,” Dr Cohall said.