We spoke to recent alumnus Usama Jamil about his experiences on the course, how he is using the knowledge he gained in practice and his advice to prospective students.

Tell us about your current role

I currently work as a Quality Assurance Officer/Deputy Manager at Care 4 U (C4U) Ltd, supporting individuals diagnosed with various physical and mental health disorders in supported living. My role allows me to ensure that people are treated with dignity, respect, and compassion. Every day, I am trusted to make decisions that can improve someone’s quality of life, and that responsibility keeps me grounded and grateful.

What I enjoy most about my role is seeing real progress in the lives of the individuals we support—small victories that mean everything to them and their families.

Why did you decide to study at Christ Church and why specifically your course?

I chose CCCU because I wanted more than just a qualification. I wanted a place that could shape my character, my leadership, and my purpose in public health. As someone who had medical background and already worked closely with patients and communities, I knew that the world urgently needed compassionate health professionals who could understand challenges not just clinically, but socially, economically and emotionally.

The MSc Global Public Health at CCCU offered exactly that. Coming from Pakistan, pursuing this degree abroad was not only a life decision but a leap of faith. CCCU felt like the right place to grow, to challenge myself, and to begin a journey that would allow me to serve people on a global level.

What was the most important learning point you took with you from your time here?

The most important thing I learned is that public health is not just a profession—it is an ongoing responsibility to humanity. It taught me that improving health is not just about treating individuals, but creating systems and environments where communities can thrive with dignity, equality and opportunity.

I also learned the importance of critical thinking—questioning policies, challenging assumptions, and seeing beyond the obvious. The most surprising thing about the course was how personal it felt. Public health often looks like global statistics and grand theories from the outside, but once you study it at CCCU, you realise it is deeply human. Every lecture, every case study, every discussion connects back to real people, real communities and real lives. That made learning meaningful in a way that I did not expect when I first enrolled.

“I chose CCCU because I wanted more than just a qualification. I wanted a place that could shape my character, my leadership, and my purpose in public health.”

What advice would you give to a prospective student considering studying the same course?

My advice is simple: come with purpose. This is not just a degree; it is a journey that will change the way you see the world and your role in it. There will be challenges, new systems to understand, different perspectives to engage with, and moments of self-doubt. But do not underestimate the power of perseverance. Every seminar, every hands-on workshop, every late night in the library is building you into someone stronger, wiser and more capable than you were when you started.

Use the support around you. The lecturers, the discussions, the feedback, and even the struggles are all part of your transformation. And most importantly, never forget why you started. If your reason is grounded in helping people, changing lives or improving systems, this programme will give you the tools, the confidence and the vision to do exactly that. One day, you’ll look back and realise that this degree did not only shape your career, it shaped you as a human being.

How did your time at Christ Church support your career journey?

My time at CCCU didn’t just prepare me academically—it reshaped the way I think, lead, and serve. The programme taught me to analyse health related problems deeply, see the wider health systems behind individual challenges, and approach solutions with empathy and evidence. The supportive guidance of my mentors gave me the confidence to step into leadership roles with purpose and clarity.

Moving forward, I want to continue using what I learned to advocate for better health systems, especially for people whose voices often go unheard. I aim to use my analytical skills, policy understanding, and human-centred approach to contribute to improvements in care standards, service delivery, and organisational accountability. Ultimately, I want my work to make services safer, fairer, kinder, and more effective for the people who depend on them.

What is your proudest achievement in your career so far?

My proudest achievement is earning the trust of the individuals and families I support. Knowing that someone feels healthy, safer, and back to normal because of my work means more than any title. I am also driven by a personal goal to one day build a free cancer clinic or hospital, so that no family has to lose a loved one the way I lost my mother—fighting hard but held back by barriers that should never exist.

In what way is remaining connected to your alumni network important to you?

Staying connected to the alumni network reminds me that I am part of a community bigger than myself—a community of people trying to change the world in their own corners. It keeps me inspired, supported, and continuously learning. It also allows me to share my journey so that future students know that dreams can be achieved through perseverance, humility, and determination.

Giving back to this community is important because none of us succeed alone. I was supported, guided, and believed in and sharing that forward is the least I can do. Volunteering allows me to use my experience to help students who are standing where I once stood, facing the same uncertainties and hopes. Helping others rise is not only rewarding—it is how we strengthen the entire community.