By Sara A. Mayo
Thousands of miles away from Gainesville, Zandile Ntsodo balances 12-hour nursing shifts at her hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with her coursework deadlines for her Master of Public Health at the University of Florida.
Pursuing her M.P.H. online has allowed Ntsodo to grow professionally while remaining in the work she loves, all while contributing to meaningful population-level improvements in health outcomes from continents away.
“At first, I was extremely worried about whether I could keep up with the schedule,” she said, noting that she often works unpredictable hours. “The idea of committing to a formal academic program made me very anxious, but the program has been incredibly accommodating, and I can continue doing what I love.”
Like many in healthcare, Ntsodo’s story is personal, with her career path starting long before she ever stepped foot into a hospital professionally.
“As a child, I witnessed several elderly family members being hospitalized and, heartbreakingly, not making it back home,” Ntsodo said.
That early experience, she said, left her with a deep curiosity about the operations within hospital walls, planting the desire to better understand healthcare. That curiosity eventually steered her toward nursing, where her experience in patient care broadened her perspective.
Eventually, so did her questions.
While she valued her role as a primary caregiver, Ntsodo realized she wanted to contribute even more broadly, influencing not only the individual patient, but also the systems, experiences and outcomes that shape healthcare delivery.
Public health felt like the natural next step for Ntsodo. It would allow her to blend her clinical experience with helping shape systems and interventions that benefit entire communities.
“I understand both the expectations of the public and the real constraints healthcare institutions face when trying to meet those expectations,” Ntsodo explained.
For Ntsodo, the systems she wants to improve aren’t theoretical. Working in Saudi Arabia, she has seen a healthcare system rapidly modernize while navigating cultural and religious factors alongside evolving models of care.
“There is clear progress,” she said. “The launch of the world’s largest telehealth institution shows a strong commitment to integrating global standards of care and advancing healthcare delivery.”
As a student who relies on technology to make virtual learning possible, Ntsodo is doubly grateful.
“Everything I learn in the program connects directly to real situations I’ve encountered at the bedside,” she shared.
Through the M.P.H. program, Ntsodo said she has developed a deeper understanding of the systems, structures and leadership decisions that shape patient care, helping her connect clinical practice with organizational leadership and population health.
The flexibility of the online program has also made it possible to pursue that growth alongside a demanding career.
Between rotating 12-hour shifts and planning trips home to Cape Town, South Africa, to visit family, balancing work and graduate school requires discipline, she said, but the long-term benefits make it worthwhile.
In Ntsodo’s perspective, the value of the M.P.H. program extends beyond what happens in a virtual classroom. The coursework has given her practical skills, exposed her to perspectives from classmates with diverse professional backgrounds and helped her approach healthcare challenges more holistically.
“It represents my commitment to stepping beyond the clinical level and helping shape a healthcare environment where quality, equity and patient-centered outcomes are at the forefront,” she said.
Eventually, Ntsodo would like to serve in advisory and consultancy roles in organizations such as national health departments and forums, while also continuing to advocate for the nursing profession.
When asked what advice she may share with other healthcare professionals considering returning to school mid-career, she does not hesitate:
“If others have done it, so can you. The reward is worth the effort, always.”
For Ntsodo, that effort has expanded her view of what it means to care for patients, from the bedside to the systems and communities that shape their health. Thousands of miles from Gainesville, she is building on her experience as a nurse to help shape the future of healthcare while continuing to do the work she loves.
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If you’d like to learn more about PHHP’s Master of Public Health with a concentration in population health management, click here.