Discover how Dr Tess Clifton embraced global health policy advocacy at the University of California, Berkeley.

In 2022, I was fortunate enough to be afforded the Global Grant Scholarship by Rotary International and the Rotary Club of Darwin South so that I could attend the University of California, Berkeley, and complete a Master of Public Health.

Certainly, this would not have been possible without the generous help of Jo Schilling, Percy Peel, and Rotary!

I am a medical doctor and moved to Darwin as soon as I qualified, to better understand the healthcare needs of Australians who live in rural and remote locations.

I also worked in Gove, and began to see how that, as a hospital doctor, I could help people at the end stages of disease states, but that most chronic disease takes years to develop and can be stopped if not reversed entirely if caught early enough.

I originally wanted to attend Berkeley as I was wondering how to best serve our nation's most vulnerable peoples and felt an international viewpoint would provide me the best vantage to do so. Happily, I can report Berkeley is as cutting edge, progressive, and inspirational as I hoped!

I have been able to study in greater depth what comprises optimal public healthcare, as well as understand what changes need to be made. I have been able to learn computer programming, advanced epidemiology, and biostatistics, so that I can analyse data and work with at-risk peoples to deliver clinically relevant interventions.

I have dived deep into local and global health policy advocacy, so that I can affect legislative change. I have also learned how ethnic and cultural diversity can help our healthcare system flourish, and how best to support people from these backgrounds to do so.

Certainly, I have learned humility, and the connections I have made with clinicians the world over should help me better help others, including the Australians that first prompted me to study a Public Health Masters.

I also joined a kickball team and played a lot of spike ball, went to American College Football games, and scored cheap tickets to the NBA where I saw Steph Curry lead the Warriors to a nail-biting win in double overtime. Almost as much love for sports as the Aussies!

I am currently searching for public health jobs in a postdoctoral scholar role, so that I may consolidate my skills. I plan to return to Australia and put into practice what I have learned.

I have a few months to go yet, and I really don't know where the year has gone - it has been a rollercoaster, and my brain feels thoroughly exercised in the best of ways.

If anyone is interested in talking about my experiences further, I am always happy to be contacted via Darwin Rotary South.

Great work Darwin South supporting young professionals to make their mark for the greater good!