Students specializing in Health Economics
Students in the economics field consider the economic analysis of health policies and health systems, as well as the economic analysis of responses to health policies. Research areas may include health resource allocation, configuration of health human resources, economic evaluation of policy options, public and private financing of health care, societal investments in health production, etc. The dominant disciplinary perspective is that of microeconomics but insight into economic behaviour may also be provided by perspectives such as business, psychology and others.
Year started: 2023
Email: gonzar8@mcmaster.ca
Marina is a student in the health economics field. She holds an economist degree from the University of Guadalajara, with a specialization in dynamic econometric models from the Mexico Autonomous Institute of Technology (ITAM), and a master’s degree in public administration and applied public policy from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM). Marina is interested in research on aging and epidemiological transition, public finance, and generational equity. She is supervised by Emmanuel Guindon.
Year started: 2021
Email: saminap@mcmaster.ca
Pushpita is a student in the health economics field. She is a medical doctor with a master’s in international health policy and management from Brandeis University and a master’s in population sciences from the University of Dhaka. Prior to joining the PhD program, Dr. Samina worked with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Tuberculosis (TB) and Health Systems Strengthening. Dr. Samina is interested in research on innovative financing mechanisms that might improve efficiency and strengthen health systems in lower middle-income countries. She is supervised by Emmanuel Guindon.
Year started: 2022
Email: teoc2@mcmaster.ca
Celine is a student in the program’s health economics field. She holds a master’s degree in applied health sciences from Brock University (Canada). Prior to pursuing her post-graduate education, she worked at the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health. Her research interests are in the evaluation of social protection policies with a focus on mental health outcomes. Celine is supervised by Dr. Emmanuel Guindon.
Year started: 2019
Email: villactm@mcmaster.ca
Tatiana is a student in the health economics field. She holds a master’s degree in economics from McMaster University and a master’s degree in population and development from the London School of Economics. She worked as the head of the health economics department for the Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador and later she became an external health economics consultant for several organizations such as PAHO, World Bank, UNICEF, Roche, Pfizer and other national and international institutions. Her thesis research is on the impact of NCD in the finances of developing countries health systems. Tatiana is supervised by Michel Grignon and Jerry Hurley.
Year started: 2020
Email: yus109@mcmaster.ca
Daniel is a student in the health economics field. He holds a master’s degree in health policy and financing from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and London School of Economics and Political Science. Prior to joining the program, he worked in the field of health financing and social health protection in Lao PDR. Daniel is supervised by Michel Grignon and Emmanuel Guindon.
Students specializing in Political Studies
Students in the political studies field focus on the political aspects of health policy including the influences by political institutions, actors, values, and ideas operating within state and global jurisdictions. Topics of interest, for example, may include the role of historical institutional arrangements in shaping health governance reforms, the impact of global trade agreements on domestic home care and pharmaceutical policy, the role of the public, stakeholders, and prevailing values on policy agendas, etc. Political science is the dominant disciplinary perspective, with related areas including, for example, public policy analysis and administration, comparative public policy, law, ethics, political theory and philosophy.
Year Started: 2017
Email: belal@mcmaster.ca
Ahmed is a student in the political studies field. He holds a master’s degree in public health from Memorial University (Canada) and received his physician license from Cairo University (Egypt). Before beginning his PhD, he worked as the assistant director of the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit in the Egyptian Ministry of Health. His thesis work focuses on organizing public engagement in health policy making and how to translate the theories of health policy analysis into actions that would meet the public’s needs. He is supervised by John Lavis.
Year Started: 2022
Email: curaj@mcmaster.ca
Jonathan (Nathan) is a student in the program’s political studies field. He has a master’s degree in nursing and a PhD in nursing education from Holy Angel University (Philippines). Prior to joining the program, Nathan worked as associate director of Nursing Research, Systems Management and Accreditation at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, Philippines. His research interests include exploring leadership dynamics that foster knowledge translation and developing a leadership framework for effective translation of research evidence into policies and management decisions, particularly in hospitals. Nathan is supervised by Michael Wilson
Year Started: 2021
Email: dhamanar@mcmaster.ca
Roma is a student in the political studies field. She holds a bachelor of science (Hons) from McMaster University and a master of bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania. Roma’s doctoral work will be at the intersection of public and patient engagement and health policy ethics. She is supervised by Julia Abelson.
Year started: 2023
Email: etoomb@mcmaster.ca
Balqis Etoom is a student in political studies. She completed her master’s degree in healthcare management and quality Control and holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management and policy from Jordan University of Science and Technology. Before joining the doctoral program, Balqis worked as a research and teaching assistant at her university in Jordan. Her research interests revolve around healthcare policies aimed at improving healthcare systems and public health in developing countries. She is under the supervision of Michel Grignon.
Year started: 2023
Email: feenyg@mcmaster.ca
Gwen is a student in the political studies field. She holds a law degree from Queen’s University and a master’s of public health from Harvard University. Prior to the PhD program, she worked in research, policy, and negotiations for unions and labour groups in Alberta and in politics. Gwen is interested in how labour and employment standards shape community and public health and how the working conditions of the healthcare workforce affects their health and patient and systems outcomes. She is supervised by Arthur Sweetman.
Year Started: 2022
Email: hadidd@mcmaster.ca
Dima Hadid is a student in the program’s political studies field. She holds a master’s degree in public health from Nottingham Trent University (United Kingdom). Before beginning her PhD, Dima worked for five years as a senior research assistant at the American University of Beirut Medical Center in Lebanon. Dima is supervised by Meredith Vanstone
Year Started: 2019
Email: hossap1@mcmaster.ca
Puspita Hossain is a student of political studies stream. Trained as a doctor in Bangladesh, she did her master of public health (MPH) from BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health (BRAC JPGSPH), BRAC University. Before staring her PhD, she worked at BRAC JPGSPH as a senior research associate for almost two and a half years on different projects. She is supervised by Gillian Mulvale.
Year started: 2018
Email: amina.jabbar@medportal.ca
Amina is a student in the political studies field. She holds a masters of science in health research methodology from McMaster University (Canada) and a doctor of medicine from the University of Toronto (Canada). Her research interests include evaluation metrics, health economics and geriatric models of care. She is supervised by Andrew Costa.
Tamika is a student in the Political Studies field. She holds a Master of public health degree from McMaster University (Canada). Tamika’s research interests are in public health services and systems research, global health, governance and comparative health systems. She is supervised by Michael Wilson.
Year Started: 2016
Email: miregwab@mcmaster.ca
Benard is a student in the political studies field. He obtained his masters’ degree in public pealth from the University of South Wales (United Kingdom) and his medical degree from Dr. MGR Medical University (India). Before beginning his PhD, Bernard worked for the Ministry of Health in Kenya in a number of senior management positions. His thesis will evaluate pharmaceutical policy issues related to pricing and reimbursement mechanisms, drug insurance, access and use of medicines, health technology assessment and the evaluation of efficacy and cost-benefit analysis of health products and technology. Benard is supervised by Mike Wilson.
Year Started: 2020
Email: salehr7@mcmaster.ca
Rana is a student in the political studies field. She holds a master of public health from the American University of Beirut. Before joining the program, Rana worked at the Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center with primary expertise in advocacy, public participation, knowledge translation and capacity development for evidence-informed decision making. She is interested in the role of public participation in knowledge uptake and policy implementation in developing countries. She is supervised by Julia Abelson.
Year Started: 2019
Email: waddellk@mcmaster.ca
Kerry is a student in the political studies field. Her research interests are in evidence-informed policy and integrated care. Prior to joining the program she worked at the McMaster Health Forum and at the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe. She has a graduate degree in health policy, planning and financing from a joint program between the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and London School of Economics and Political Science. Kerry is supervised by John Lavis.
Year Started: 2017
Email: wangq87@mcmaster.ca
Qi is a student in the political studies field. She holds a master’s degree from the Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Centre at Lanzhou University (China) and a medical degree from Lanzhou University (China). Before beginning her PhD, she worked as an intern at the Ministry of Health in China, focusing on health management and health policy development, and was involved with the Chinese translation of Health Systems Evidence in cooperation with the McMaster Health Forum. Her thesis will focus on the development, adaptation and implementation of health-systems guidance. Qi is supervised by John Lavis.
Year Started: 2019
Email: youj25@mcmaster.ca
Jeonghwa is a student in the political studies field. She holds a master’s of public health degree from King’s College London (England). Before beginning her PhD, she worked at South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service on the annual price negotiations of fee schedules with medical service providers. Her research interests are in developing scientifically rigorous public engagement evaluation in health policy-making and improving its quality and use. She is supervised by Julia Abelson.
Students specializing in Health Systems & Society
Students in the social organization field focus on the analysis of the social influences that shape the production of health (and illness), the organization of health services and systems, and their associated policies. Topics of interest, for example, may include the generation and use of information to inform policy, political economies of health and its production, policies to address the social determinants of health and professional roles and behaviour, etc. Relevant disciplinary perspectives include anthropology, business administration or management, health systems, history, ethics, philosophy, political science, psychology and sociology.
Year Started: 2020
Email: cernata@mcmaster.ca
Alexandra is a student in the social organization field. She holds an MSc in health services research, with a specialization in health technology assessment, from the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) at the University of Toronto. Alexandra’s doctoral research will examine the interface between privately accessed health care services and Canada’s public health care system. She is supervised by Meredith Vanstone.
Year Started: 2021
Email: dafela@mcmaster.ca
Andrea is a student in the social organization field. She holds a master’s degree in public health from Western University (Canada). Before beginning her PhD, she worked in the field of quality improvement. Andrea intends to research the inclusion of marginalized populations during the design and implementation of health policy. She is supervised by Julia Abelson.
Year Started: 2020
Email: duongl4@mcmaster.ca
Le-Tien is studying under the political studies field. She holds a master’s of public health from the University of Waterloo. Her research interests are in alternative models for mental health care systems and community-based care. She is supervised by Gillian Mulvale.
Year Started: 2022
Email: duttmj@mcmaster.ca
Monika Dutt is a student in the program’s health systems & society field. She is a Canadian-trained physician specializing in public health and preventive medicine, and family medicine. She has held medical officer of health positions in several Canadian provinces and is a member of the Decent Work and Health Network. Her thesis research will seek ways to strengthen collaboration between community-based worker-led organizing and institutional public health, using the specific policy example of paid sick days. Monika is supervised by Meredith Vanstone
Year Started: 2021
Email: jezrawir@mcmaster.ca
Rita is a student in the social organization field. She holds a master’s degree in eHealth from McMaster University. Before beginning her PhD, she worked in developmental services and healthcare research. Rita intends to research jurisdictional policies with a focus on access to services relevant to children with developmental disabilities, particularly autism spectrum disorder. She is being supervised by Magdalena Janus.
Year Started: 2021
Email: latchmaa@mcmaster.ca
Amanda is a student in the social organization field. She holds a master’s degree in global health from McMaster University (Canada). Prior to beginning her PhD, she worked within the field of undergraduate medical education. Amanda is researching emotion-centred care within institutional care facilities. She is supervised by Michel Grignon.
Year Started: 2022
Email: matthm14@mcmaster.ca
Midori is a student in the program’s health Systems and society field. She holds a master of arts in socio-legal studies from York University (Canada). Prior to beginning her Ph.D, she worked in the bioethics field conducting research pertaining to medical assistance in dying legislation. Midori’s doctoral research will examine approaches to palliative care innovation in Canada and integrating end-of-life care as an upstream approach. Midori is supervised by Hsien Seow.
Year Started: 2021
Email: okoha@mcmaster.ca
Augustine is a student in the social organization field. He holds a master’s degree in herontology from the University of Southampton, United Kingdom. His interests cut across aging and interdisciplinary research. His research will consider the educational antecedents that facilitate strong interprofessional collaborations in an Ontario Family Health Team working in long-term care. He is supervised by Lawrence Grierson.
Year Started: 2016
Email: theuera@mcmaster.ca
Ania is a student in the social organization field. She holds a master’s degree in criminology (Applied) from the University of Ottawa (Canada). Before beginning her PhD, she worked in the mental health field. Her thesis will explore studying the historical, social and political contexts in the development of modern police, health and mental health systems’ response strategies in Canada. Ania is supervised by Michael Wilson.