London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Welcome Week

I’ll never forget my first weeks at LSHTM. From the warm welcome at the door and into our lecture halls and classes, I could already feel that this place was different. Our Health Policy lecturer recommended a TV show - The West Wing. My jaw actually dropped. I’d come in expecting only dense policy papers, and instead, we also got a handout about a political drama series. It was perfect. That moment showed me that learning at LSHTM isn’t just found in books or lecture halls. It’s in stories, conversations, and real-world messiness, especially for those new to policy or coming from hard science backgrounds like mine.

Classes connect to real-world challenges

That same period brought another standout: a screening of Too Hot to Work in my Environment, Health & Sustainable Development class. The documentary hit hard, showing heat stress up close and driving home how all our work needs to centre equity, protecting the most vulnerable first. 

Coming from Ethiopia and a few years in consultancy and research, I thought I knew what practical learning looked like. LSHTM proved me right, but also took my understanding further. Classes connect straight to current global challenges, making everything feel alive and applicable. Some may expect to be taught solutions; instead, you’re given tools so you can become part of the solution. This is even more important when you’re doing a programme like mine – MSc Climate Change & Planetary Health, studying what many now call the biggest threat to human health in the 21st century.

Assessments with students' next chapter in mind

Take our assessments. No more just memorising for exams or spotting tricks in multiple-choice questions, like I was used to in more linear systems back home. 

From day one, we knew the formats, but lecturers encouraged us to start shaping them during reading week. For the Environment, Health and Sustainable Development module, we drafted a transport policy report for city authorities in a Southeast Asian metropolis. In Fundamentals of Climate Change and Planetary Health, we wrote a technical report on conserving the Congo Basin rainforest — I was hooked. And my Health Policy essay? A briefing on climate & health issues at COP30, a topic I chose, where I followed live press briefings and negotiations to inform my work. 

I loved every second. These weren’t abstract tasks; they felt like real contributions, directly linked to the kind of career I imagine for myself after graduation and the work I hope to contribute to in Ethiopia and across Africa.

When feedback for the assessments arrived, it took some getting used to. Every piece is double-marked and anonymised, then returned with detailed notes. Coming from consultancy and research, I already knew the skills that matter in the real world - that’s why I came here. 

LSHTM’s feedback isn’t about faults; it’s about growth. 

It builds your thinking and confidence. You can clearly see which points are your strengths and which you need to work on. You leave with much more than hard knowledge. That shift has changed how I approach learning entirely. And, funnily enough, with a multiple-choice question exam coming up before my final two courses and my research project, those old exam reflexes might still come in handy. Since childhood, I’ve never really learned how to handle exam stress – it doesn’t seem to matter how prepared I am – but I’m actually excited for this multiple-choice question exam.

A Careers team that helps

I can see now how LSHTM has reshaped my worldview and my sense of what I can do next. The Careers Service team helps too: their CV scoring tool and one-to-one sessions have me mapping out paths in climate health policy and equity-focused research. 

As an international student, there was definitely an adjustment to London’s pace and a new academic culture (and yes, the weather too), but the support I received made it manageable. There is truly no better place than LSHTM for building networks and career momentum in public health.

My advice?

If you’re joining MSc Climate Change & Planetary Health or any of LSHTM’s other programmes this coming Autumn, here’s my advice: arrive in London about two weeks early and well rested - I ignored the orientation tip as a workaholic and regretted it once six modules hit. Keep a reflection journal; you’ll be amazed at your growth over the year. Explore the careers resources and sessions early - that CV tool is gold. And don’t worry if planetary health feels vast; you’ll find your niche along the way. As a public health professional, you really can fit in many places.
 

• Curious about student life here or the MSc? Reach out to Elbethel (LinkedIn | Instagram) or other Student Ambassadors.
• Learn more about MSc Climate Change & Planetary Health, also available online.
• Information for international students.
• You may be interested in: From rural New Zealand to London: Rebecca’s part-time journey at LSHTM