Never Give Up - a university journey journal

[KatherineGale]

Congrats! It might be small, but the small things add up!

Thanks Justin_L!

[KatherineGale]

Oof. It’s been over a year… so that was a bit of a blur … oops?

Where to start…

The placement significantly impacted my health. I barely made it through, but the aftermath was even worse. It’s taken up until now for my health to really even back off to what it was (though it’s still splotchy). Knowing I would have to manage that again the next trimester, and a great deal more in 2022 … I knew I had to take a step back and figure something else out.

Placement ended on a Friday, and by the very next Tuesday I had transferred courses (it was the deadline for mid year enrolments). It was a tough decision, but I knew it was the right one for my health. As you can imagine, that Monday was filled with many stressful phone calls (with some very lovely, patient Deakin staff). Thankfully, majority of my units and results could also be transferred over, along with (most of) my scholarship (I’m still at Deakin uni), which was amazing. I was also lucky my results were reasonable as I didn’t have any difficulty qualifying for the transfer.

So, now I’m almost a year into the Bachelor of Public Health & Health Promotion! I enrolled as a cloud student, so everything I do is online and I only have one placement I need to do, right at the end of the course (which I now finish at the end of next year). I’m actually really enjoying the units too; I thought some of them might be a bit dry, but they’re not at all. I’m even quite keen on doing an honours year after this as there is a couple of areas I’m keen to explore further.

I’ll leave this here for now. I will likely make a few more posts in the coming few weeks just updating what units I’m doing, about the course, and so on. I’m fairly under the pump with assessments and health appointments currently, so I’ll see how I go. Overall, I don’t regret changing courses at all.

I know this has become a habit of mine - disappear off the face of the earth and then pop back in for a short time lol. I can’t promise it won’t happen again, but I can say, as with this journals title, I won’t give up trying. Okay, I’ll stop being cheesy and dawdling now.

For reference:

https://www.deakin.edu.au/course/bachelor-public-health-and-health-promotion

[heids]

Lovely to see an update - I've enjoyed reading all your journal and wondered where you were! 

Although it must have been disappointing in many ways, it sounds like this has turned out to be a better fit for your life anyway.  I'm sure you'll have so much to contribute through public health - any ideas on your specific areas of interest?  I'd love to hear more about your units - public health has always had a niggling interest for me.  (I'm the person who hates uni and assignments SO much but still somehow wants to do forty other degrees when I finish my current one )

[KatherineGale]

Hello again,

I forgot how weird these are to begin. Anyway…

Thanks, heids! It was definitely disappointing, but I don’t regret my decision (thankfully!). I’m really interested in disability and rural health, so I think I’ll always gravitate to that area of health. It was awesome to explore that on an individual level in OT, but it’s been interesting to consider it on a broader level in the Bachelor of Public Health & Health Promotion (BPH&HP). It’s actually given me a little more faith in the public health system surprisingly haha

I feel you with wanting to do heaps of degrees after this one – I feel like every year I find another one that interests me and want to do as well. I am that odd one who actually enjoys most assessments more than the content – but I understand why you wouldn’t (the time pressure can make them less enjoyable for me). But I also enjoy just combing through literature about anything and everything, so that probably helps a lot.

The Bachelor of Public Health & Health Promotion drew me in more than other courses because it was health related, could be completed online, offered reasonable employment opportunities, and had far less work experience/placement requirements; it also offered me the opportunity to shift my point of view. As someone with health issues, who is always around lots of people with disabilities and health issues, my understanding was always very individual focussed; branching that out to understand how individual’s health are linked has been an interesting learning curve.

BPH&HP is a 3-year course with 24 units. 9 OT units were able to be moved over with my transfer, which was awesome. I transferred at the start of Trimester 2 2021 and completed 3 units, and then a 4th over Trimester 3. I’m currently taking 3, and then I’ll have 8 to go (finishing 2023 – same time as I would have originally in OT). I’ll list them below:

Unit – WAM, Letter Grade/GPA

Transferred across:
HSO102 – 77, D, 6
HBS109 – 73, D, 6
HBS110 – 78, D, 6

HSE102 – 82, HD, 7
HSO104 – 74, D, 6
HBS107 – 85, HD, 7
HPS202 – 77, D, 6

HSO202 – 72, D, 6
HSO207 – 77, D, 6

Began BPH&HP:
HBS108 – 73, D, 6
HSH113 – 79, D, 6
HSH212 – 77, D, 6

HBS300 - 80, HD, 7

77.23 - Current WAM
6.23 - Current GPA

Current units:
HSH205 –
HSH318 –
HSH323 –

Future units:
HSH216
HSH313
HSH319

HSH102
HSH112
HSH208
HSH302

HSH303 (practical unit)


I’m really enjoying my current units, HSH205, HSH318, & HSH323. I’ll just give my thoughts on each, alongside my current marks, and current overall unit averages.


HSH205 – Epidemiology & Biostatistics 1

This unit has been challenging but in a good way. It’s been particularly interesting in the context of COVID-19. It’s also helped me better understand how to gauge the strengths of literature/articles and what diseases look like in community settings, which will be useful if I do go ahead with an honour’s year.

Assessment Task 1 – 20.00%
Quiz 1 – 05.00/05.00
Quiz 2 – 05.00/05.00
Quiz 3 – 04.00/05.00
Quiz 4 –

Assessment Task 2 – 40.00%
Short Answer Questions –

Assessment Task 3 – 40.00%
Examination –

Current Average: 93.33%

https://www.deakin.edu.au/current-students-courses/unit-search.php?year=2022&entunit=hsh205&entkeyword=


HSH318 – Implementation & Evaluation

This unit pairs well with HSH323 as it further explores program evaluation introduced in HSH323. The analysis aspect of this unit has been awesome – right up my alley. It looks at programs in communities and teaches us frameworks to evaluate/appraise them both in the validity of the studies and their results.

Assessment Task 1 – 35.00%
Critical Appraisal Report – 33.00/35.00

Assessment Task 2 – 45.00%
Evaluation Proposal –

Assessment Task 3 – 20.00%
Examination –

Current Average: 94.29%

https://www.deakin.edu.au/courses-search/unit-search.php?hidCurrentYear=2022&hidYear=2022&hidType=&txtUnit=hsh318&txtTitle=&txtKeyword=&selLevel=Select&selSemester=Select&selMode=Select&selLocation=Select&chkSortby=unit_cd&btnSubmit=


HSH323 – Program Planning, Management, & Evaluation

This unit looks at developing community-based programs in communities – from planning to evaluating. It offers great insight to direct application in a practical setting; the assessments are all very similar to actual forms and applications we may have to utilise in some roles beyond this degree. It’s surprisingly interesting, rather than monotonous – getting to develop programs and assessing real communities for their health needs… I almost wish I wasn’t so under the pressure to get these assessments out so quickly, as I would have loved to dive into this even further.

Assessment Task 1 – 35.00%
Needs Assessment Plan – 33.00/35.00

Assessment Task 2 – 15.00%
Funding Pitch –

Assessment Task 3 – 50.00%
Funding Submissions -

Current Average: 94.29%

https://www.deakin.edu.au/courses-search/unit-search.php?hidCurrentYear=2022&hidYear=2022&hidType=&txtUnit=hsh323&txtTitle=&txtKeyword=&selLevel=Select&selSemester=Select&selMode=Select&selLocation=Select&chkSortby=unit_cd&btnSubmit=

Not going to lie, this course has opened my eyes to a number of roles that just sound incredibly rewarding, even just for the short run. I mean, developing programs to improve the health of those with disabilities? I am so on board for that; it actually sounds a little too idyllic – I’m sure there’s a catch somewhere (likely in amongst poor funding opportunities limiting possibilities, but still)! It’s also really strengthened my resolve to contribute to disability research – I’m pretty set on honours, but depending how I go, I’m open to considering a masters or (if I’m lucky) a PhD, before I move on to medicine (hopefully).

I think I’ll leave this here for now. It’s already so long haha some habits don’t die. I don’t know if I’ll have much opportunity for the next couple of weeks (I’ve got like four weeks to get all of the above assessments in, and my flare ups have been a pain lately), but I aim to check in every now and then. I'm sure I'm forgetting something I meant to write about, but oh well.

And... finishing these is just as difficult as starting them still. So, yeah... bye!

[KatherineGale]

Another trimester down… and another just beginning!

Been a busy few weeks, so here’s a brief recap:

-completed a mammoth round of assessment tasks
-survived that ^ somehow (barely)
-health sunk to a low I haven’t experienced since pre-diagnosis
-medications increased
-new medications added
-diagnosed with autism (a lot of things make more sense lol)
-reduced study workload to part time
-centrelink cut off my payments due to above ^
-healthcare card cancelled (my medications alone cost almost $200 per month without it – and almost $700 total on top of my medications not covered haha) and currently waiting on jobseeker claim (thank goodness I have a med cert)
-got results for last trimester
-reordered my course so I could go part-time and manage my health

I’ll probably focus on those last two points in this post.

Trimester 1 2022 Results:


HSH205 Epidemiology & Biostatistics 1

AT1 Quizzes – 18.00/20.00 (90.00%)
AT2 Short Answer – 26.50/40.00 (66.25%)
AT3 Exam (estimated based on results) – 31.50/40.00 (78.75%)

Total: 76 Distinction

I thought I’d completely bombed the exam (like I did with AT2), but somehow in all the chaos I actually kinda didn’t? I don’t know how, but I’m not questioning it lol


HSH318 Implementation & Evaluation

AT1 Critical Appraisal Report – 33.00/35.00 (94.29%)
AT2 Evaluation Proposal – 33.00/45.00 (73.33%)
AT3 Exam – 15.00/20.00 (75.00%)

Total: 81 High Distinction

I don’t know how I scraped by with the HD, but I’m thrilled with it.


HSH323 Program Planning, Management, & Evaluation

AT1 Needs Assessment Plan – 33.00/35.00 (94.29%)
AT2 Funding Pitch – 14.00/15.00 (93.33%)
AT3 Funding Submission – 43.00/50.00 (86.00%)

Total: 90 High Distinction

I think this is the highest overall I have ever gotten for a unit, so I was really shocked by it haha


Overall, with how I felt during the trimester when completing these units, these scores are practically a miracle for me. I’m excited to get my health back on track to see what kind of scores I could achieve then…

These results have changed my WAM and GPA as well:

WAM: 78.19
GPA: 6.31

They are small changes, but I’m really happy that I’m *this* close to a HD average and my original minimum goal of 6.4. I mean it was always what I was working towards, but it’s different to see the number tick up closer. And whilst the numbers aren’t everything or even necessarily what I need them to be yet, they give me a lot of options to look at. Especially since I realised Deakin will not include units undertaken in 2020 in their medicine entry totals, so my scores go up a little bit more:

WAM: 78.33
GPA: 6.33

*I haven’t weighted these either, so that will help too!

It’s not much difference, but I’m all for celebrating the little things haha – I’ve added a more comprehensive summary at the very end of this for clarity, along with my current unit plan moving forward.

So, yeah, that's 16/24 units done. It's so weird, I feel like I just started uni yesterday haha

--------------------------------

Moving onto this next trimester, I’m taking two units:


HSH216 Epidemiology & Biostatistics 2

This unit continues on from HSH205. Honestly, I feel like this unit is the most I’ve been out of my depth. We are basically learning how to use statistic software programs to analyse health data. I’m looking forward to widening my skills, but I’m also hopeless with technology haha – the only real experience I have is with Microsoft word lol. It has a 2-hour seminar each week and 3 assessments (that we have not been given much info about yet) including:

AT1 Assignment; 1500 words; 40% weighted; due week 5
AT2 Online MCQ; n/a; 20% weighted; n/a
AT3 Assignment; 1500 words; 40% weighted; n/a

https://www.deakin.edu.au/current-students-courses/unit-search.php?year=2022&entunit=hsh216&entkeyword=


HSH319 Population Health: A Research Perspective

This unit also continues on from HSH205, and HBS108. I feel like I have more skills suited to these types of assessments than HSH216, but I don’t want to jinx myself lol. It mainly focuses on applying sampling, designing, and conducting studies, questionnaire design and piloting, interview and focus group discussions, and transcription and analysis of qualitative data in a practical way. I think this unit will be super useful for Honours year, so fingers crossed. It has a 2-hour seminar each week and 3 assessments including:

AT1 Written Assignment; 800 words; 20% weighted; due week 5
AT2 Qualitative Research; 1800 words; 45% weighted; due week 8
AT3 quantitative research; 1400 words; 35% weighted; due week 11

https://www.deakin.edu.au/courses-search/unit-search.php?hidCurrentYear=2022&hidYear=2022&hidType=&txtUnit=hsh319&txtTitle=&txtKeyword=&selLevel=Select&selSemester=Select&selMode=Select&selLocation=Select&chkSortby=unit_cd&btnSubmit=


I’m going to finish this off here as it’s getting a bit long and clunky. Until next time…

Also, the dot point form really worked for me to get things said more concisely – might start doing that a bit more.

--------------------------------

As mentioned, here is a clearer overview:

Unit – WAM, Letter Grade/GPA

HSO102 – 77, D, 6
HBS109 – 73, D, 6
HBS110 – 78, D, 6

HSE102 – 82, HD, 7
HSO104 – 74, D, 6
HBS107 – 85, HD, 7
HPS202 – 77, D, 6

HSO202 – 72, D, 6
HSO207 – 77, D, 6

HBS108 – 73, D, 6
HSH113 – 79, D, 6
HSH212 – 77, D, 6

HBS300 - 80, HD, 7

HSH205 – 76, D, 6
HSH318 – 81, HD, 7
HSH323 – 90, HD, 7

[1251/16 = WAM]
[101/16 = GPA]

78.19 - Current WAM
6.31 - Current GPA

Future Units:

HSH216
HSH313
HSH319
HSH102
HSH112
HSH208
HSH302
HSH303 (practical unit)