An interview with MSc Global Health student Praveen Rajasegaran

Why did you decide to pursue an MSc in Global Health?

I had the privilege of working with the Canadian Red Cross for three summers during my undergrad, and it showed me how unequal the world outside of my little bubble was. I was able to work on projects that dealt with the health of delegates in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC); this experience made me want to do more to address the many obstacles that people faced when living in resource challenged countries. I decided to pursue this degree because I wanted to learn the necessary skills to make effective policy to better help those in underserved communities. 

Tell us about your research topic and why you chose it? 

My research question is about how to best treat psychosis in low resource countries. The bulk of psychosis cases lie in LMIC, and they often begin in adolescence which really affects both the health of those suffering and their loved ones. Despite their massive impact on quality of life, there isn’t effective infrastructure or policy to help govern treatment regiments. In Canada, the mainstay for psychosis treatment are antipsychotics, but these drugs are expensive and are not an option for the majority of people affected. This paper’s goal is to work with experts and literature to help determine a) what treatments are effective for psychosis in this context and b) to help LMIC determine which treatments to prioritize. These findings from this paper can help inform policy decisions on the treatment of psychosis in LMIC.

What aspects of the Global Health Symposium have you been most excited about?

I’m really excited about learning about systems maps and how to use them. They are a great tool to learn how something works, and to help identify gaps between what should theoretically happen and what actually happens. Hopefully, learning how to this will help all of us on the job hunt after this program.

What next? What do you plan to do after you graduate with a MSc in Global Health?

I think with pandemic we’re all scrambling to figure out exactly what were doing after.  I really do hope I end up doing work on healthcare systems and health policy.

What are your Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) area(s) of focus:

My scholarly paper will be on SDG:3

Kaleigh Beauvais