Danielle Pattinson
Danielle Pattinson
Bachelor of Public Health (final year)
Something I’ve really enjoyed is the career experiences our lecturers and tutors have brought with them. They apply theoretical concepts to their own real-life career experiences, which brings a subject to life, and makes you dream about what you might one day achieve.
Danielle is in her final year of her undergraduate degree with us. She was drawn to public health for a couple of reasons. The main one was her passion to impact health care at a level that could drive positive change for large numbers of people. Quite conveniently, public health also skirts the issue of laboratory work and body fluids, much to Danielle’s delight.
"I'm really excited about one day helping with policies and guidelines that have an upstream impact on health. But I’m also looking forward to more direct engagement with health consumers. So far this course is teaching me the skills I need to do both with confidence."
She’s covered a lot of subjects, including epidemiology and biostatistics, anatomy and physiology, communicating health, program planning and global health. Arguably her favourite has been learning about the social and behavioural aspects of health, and how public health campaigns must target people based on demographics and personal factors.
"Something I’ve really enjoyed is the career experiences our lecturers and tutors have brought with them. They apply theoretical concepts to their own real-life career experiences, which brings a subject to life, and makes you dream about what you might one day achieve."
"I think when I do graduate, I’d like to use my knowledge in a not-for-profit setting, to help those most in need. Maybe a health charity, or an aid agency, or a community health group. To that end I’ve really involved myself in the volunteering movement, both inside and outside the University. I’ve found it personally moving and rewarding, and I hope it will one day make me a better health practitioner."