MBA
As a senior doctor in a Regional Health Authority I initially thought that management skills came naturally but I was thrust into a formal leadership role during the COVID-19 pandemic and this made me realize that I needed to pursue more formal management training. The MBA in Hospital and Health Services Management seemed ideal for me and it proved to be a fulfilling experience. I was able to learn about internal and external analysis tools, delve into the intricacies of Health Information Systems and understand leadership styles in a more tangible way. On this journey I have also met some wonderful people including the academic support staff at SITAL – Kelly, Gina and Nicole are gems and I have no doubt that they are some of the best if not THE BEST support staff in Trinidad and Tobago. The world class tutors included dynamic personalities such as Ms Nishi Bhagan, Mr John Outridge, Dr Kerry Sumesar Rai and Mr Kerron Ramganesh. I have also made some wonderful friends, particularly my colleagues in the Management Practice simulation which put our theoretical knowledge to the test in real life scenarios. My academic writing skills have also been bolstered and I am now comfortable using theHarvard referencing style in addition to the Vancouver style that was taught in medical school. To complete the MBA journey I was able to do a systematic review revolving around a topic that is near to my heart – burnout in healthcare workers. The findings from this systematic review were eye opening and will stay with me forever. Overall I found this MBA to be rewarding and I find practical applications on an almost daily basis- the daily utility of the MBA toolkit was something that Mr Ramganesh would often point out – “Internal and external analysis tools can be applied in almost any scenario”.