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Reflecting on my journey with Health Systems Science three I have gained an appreciation for the complexity health systems and the various components that make up the health system. I have learned about numerous external factors that have to be taken into consideration when building a health systems that patient oriented and witnessed it through site visits. I have also developed many competencies and learned so much about myself. This reflection will delve into the key lessons and experiences that have shaped my understanding and approach to health systems sciences. Additionally, it will explore my experiences as a health systems sciences student. HSS 3 began with introducing me to the reality of the burden of communicable diseases in South Africa, which I document in this blog article Understanding of the Quadruple Burden of Diseases in South African, its’ management and its’ relation to ongoing burdening of the Health Care System . The health system resources is are constantly burdened and strained by a high volume of people that seek healthcare due to the quadruple burden of diseases in South Africa. This showed me the important role that public health plays in ensuring that the health system can function. Due to its patient focused model the health system can only help communities to a certain extent. Targeting communities and improving population health to eradicate the quadruple burden of disease requires for policies and interventions to be planned from a public health perspective. The second memorable section to me is learning about non-communicable diseases. HPV was the first non-communicable disease that we did. Learning about how interconnected HPV is to other more detrimental health outcomes and a communicable disease, showed me how important it is that health interventions are planned comprehensively. Learning about HPV showed me how sometimes that the inadequate health system can be a barrier to people reaching good health statuses. My reply in a discussion forum asking: Why is vaccinating against HPV important. My reply in a discussion forum asking: Comment on the relationship between HPV and HIV – why is screening important and how does it relate to the high number of HIV infected individuals in SA? My reply in a discussion forum asking: Discuss the barriers to screening in SA. Overall what I learned about non-communicable diseases is that it is linked poverty or low socioeconomic status. Many South Africans are of low socioeconomic status, this mean that many people access care through the public health system. The public heath system is already financially strained and the increase of non-communicable diseases would further cripple the financial capability of the healthcare system. My favourite section was learning about mother and child health care. It was interesting to learn how poor management maternal, newborn and child health can lead to an increase in critical mothers, newborns and children who require expensive care. This is straining on health systems which do not have the necessary finances to run effectively. My reply in a discussion forum asking: What is mother and child healthcare? Why is it important? My reply in a discussion forum asking: Comment on why you think it is important to use Maternal Health as a country's health indicator. Along with the work throughout the year I was part of multiple groups, four presentation groups, an organisational analysis group, and a research group. These group projects helped me to develop my communication, research, time management, and many more competencies but most importantly my leadership competency. Through these groups I was able to learn to adapt my leadership style according to each person. I never though that I could grow out of the style of leadership that I was so used to so I am extremely happy with this outcome. Creating a portfolio of learning and continuous personal development portfolio helped me to understand the characteristics that are important in a health systems scientist. Through the work I have done and the reflections I have written I now have an in-depth understanding of what health systems sciences qualities help systems scientist have solutions to systematic issues and innovative ways of communications these problems. Examples of these are creative thinking, analytical thinking, presentation skills, business competencies, etc. They all come together to health system scientists create health systems that serve the patients and healthcare workers. In Block three, there were site visits to understand healthcare system. I had the privilege of attending a clinical visit at Ebony clinic and the wits simulation lab. These visits showed me why health systems scientists that can see the bigger picture of the system but also pay attention to the details. When visiting Ebony clinic there was a group that had been there for a couple of weeks. The day we joined them they were presenting an idea to the family medicine doctor of the clinic solve a problem that they had noticed. The family medicine doctor was so happy because he had been looking for a solution for a while now. This showed me the usefulness of systems thinking and how necessary it is. Healthcare workers already overworked and burdened by the healthcare system but they also have the most insight into what is working and what is not. If health systems scientist are allowed to work closely with healthcare workers hey can be the bridge between the problems that healthcare workers notice and the solutions that can resolve these problems. In conclusion, my journey through Health Systems Science III has been transformative. It has not only deepened my understanding of the complexities and challenges within health systems but also highlighted the critical role of public health in addressing these issues. The knowledge and skills I have gained, from understanding the burden of diseases to developing leadership competencies, have equipped me to contribute meaningfully to the field of health systems science. Moving forward, I am committed to applying these insights to create innovative solutions that improve health outcomes and support healthcare workers. This experience has solidified my passion for health systems science and my dedication to making a positive impact in the healthcare sector.

While working on this competency I realised that I was not as clueless as a I though I was about analytical thinking. But rather I needed to understand how to be an effective and efficient critical thinker. Analytical Thinking in 4 Steps and What are the 5 Core Concepts of Analytical Thinking? really helped me with this aspect. I also needed to understand how analytical thinking fits in with other thinking styles, specifically critical thinking. After learning all this information and reflecting ack on all the work that I have done as a student I realised that I was an analytical thinker.

Midyear Assessment: After Be confident in your abilities competency development: Semester 2 Reflection: Working through all the artifacts that I have for Be confident in your abilities has helped me understand what confidence is and what daily habits that can help with it but I think that what I needed to focus on was addressing the reasons behind the lack of confidence. So the lack of increase in my evaluation does not come to a surprise to me. I will however take this lesson forward and work on addressing the reasons behind how I approach and feel about doing things confidently.

Semester 2 Reflection: In my Semester 1 Reflection I said that through developing my competency in understanding and flexibility, I have learned to balance sticking to due dates with being empathetic towards team members’ challenges. In a recent group meeting, instead of insisting on immediate completion, I took the time to understand the issues preventing timely project completion and collaborated on a solution. Additionally, when my website was flagged and removed during a critical period, I practiced a calming exercise from Artifact 2 , which helped me stay focused and on schedule despite the setback. These experiences have taught me the importance of responding flexibly to both team dynamics and unforeseen problems. However, I found it difficult to constantly uphold this practice in various unforeseen problems or tasks. I often experience high levels of anxiety which cloud my judgement and motivate me to try and quick figure out a way to get everything back to what I planned for it to be. When I recognised this issue and found Artifact 4 deal with this. This artifact that I was using calming exercises to help myself avoid my anxious feelings instead of using it put acknowledge the feeling and then put a space between how I feel and the situation. This space allows me to think and have a more flexible response to unforeseen problems or tasks. As I worked on this competency I realised that emotional awareness and control along with flexible thinking are the keys to successfully achieving this competency. Artifact 5: Thinking Flexibly by Bena Kallick helped me understand what flexible thinking is. This made me understand the importance of shifting perspectives and considering multiple outcomes. As well as embrace novelty, humor, and creativity to see the bigger picture while paying attention to details and understanding different cultural viewpoints. By being a flexible thinker, I can better understand and respond to various situations.

Before I started Leading Competency development: Midyear Assessment: Semester 1 Reflection: I am able to identify situations which need attention but I am learning to step in as a mediator. At the beginning of the year my first instinct would be to speak with one team member who I perceive to be the most receptive to hearing my concerns or immediately consult with my lecturer. Through developing this competency I have learned to address the team before escalating the matter to the lecturer. I still find it very scary but I am grateful that I am learning how to operate in situations where conflict may arise. I believe that learning to be comfortable in conflict will allow me to be more objective which leads to better problem-solving when conflict arises. If I notice that a task requires the application of a tool that one of my team members is willing to volunteer for I am more than willing to allow them to try. Through this I am able to practice guiding, coaching and motivating others.

Midyear Assessment: After Leading Competency development: Semester Reflection: I am able to regularly provide constructive feedback and recognition to team members regarding job performance. The Secret To Having Influence Tedx Talk by Ron Carucci helped me understand the importance of paying attention to team members’ strengths, weaknesses, and work environments. This helped me to tailor your feedback to be relevant and specific to their roles and situations and recognise when my team members are doing great. This Tedx Talk taught me to be attentive and considerate of my team members individual contexts, which helps me to provide constructive feedback and recognition to team members. After listening to Leaders Make It Happen by Maxwell Leadership Podcast I have tried work with my team members to identify goals for projects and help them with ways to successfully complete their assigned portion of the project. Learning about how leaders inspire growth in the people around them. Leaders also disseminate skills and knowledge they hold to the people in their organisation which leads to the growth of both the people and organisation. I have not been presented with the opportunity to help individuals make individual development plans, but I hope to one day be able to do this. After my Semester 1 Reflection I have made efforts to make sure that I determine the best approach to conflict and that I am able to mediate conflict between individuals and groups. From this group discussion , I learned that effective leadership is about guiding and inspiring others towards a common goal while genuinely caring for the team. It’s crucial to balance achieving objectives with the well-being of team members. By setting clear goals, regularly checking in, and holding everyone accountable, I can support my team without losing sight of our main objectives. Open communication and providing both praise and constructive feedback are essential to keep everyone aligned and motivated. Building trust and genuine relationships through empathy and understanding helps create a positive and productive work environment. Lastly, being adaptable and responsive to the needs of my team ensures that everyone feels valued and heard, which ultimately leads to better performance and success. The key to effective leadership was very helpful in helping me realise the importance that consistency plays in leading other people. I learned that people are open to my leadership at different times, influenced by their past experiences. I can't force them to accept my style immediately. I need to avoid being overbearing and focus on consistently doing the right thing. By creating an environment where people feel seen, heard, and valued, they will be more willing to follow my lead and help achieve our objectives. Through Personality & Leadership: Approaches To Leadership I learned that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership. My personality traits, once seen as obstacles, can be harnessed as strengths, allowing me to adapt and grow as a leader in various situations. This makes me more confident in my ability to lead, knowing that I can use my unique personality to lead others. In conclusion, my journey in providing constructive feedback and recognition has been shaped by valuable insights from various sources. Understanding team members’ strengths and environments, setting clear goals, and fostering open communication have been crucial. I’ve learned the importance of balancing objectives with team well-being, building trust through empathy, and being consistent and patient in my leadership approach.

Midyear Assessment: After creative thinking competency development: Semester 2 Reflection: According to the creative thinking evaluation tool my ability to thinking creatively has not only not only not gotten better but it has also regressed. Reflecting on this I can see that it is probably the result of me not actively applying the tools and strategies that I learned in projects and assignments I have done through out the year. However, I do not believe that my efforts have gone to waste. Working on this competency has helped me acquire a vast amount of knowledge about creative thinking. Completing Techniques and Tools for Success Imperial College London introduced me to what creativity is, types of creativity, how your environment influences creativity. I learned about various creativity tools that enhance fluency, flexibility, and originality, how different thinking styles set the principles that can guide your creative innovation, and creative tools such as Morphological Analysis; an idea-generating tool that approaches problems from lots of different angles whilst provoking many new ways of creative thinking, theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) which helped me generate a large range of solution concepts, and SCAMPER which provided me with a simple framework for how to generate ideas and improve existing ones. The Science of Creativity & How to Enhance Creative Innovation podcast episode by Andrew Huberman helped me understand creative thinking better by showing me that creativity is logical but also has a sense of wonder. It means using what you know about the world to make something new and interesting, often in surprising ways. Creative thinking - how to get out of the box and generate ideas Tedx Talk by Giovanni Corazza helped me push through the tough times while developing my creative thinking skills. It made me focus less on the uncomfortable moments and more on my bigger goal of self-improvement and growth. It also gave me strategies to get used to thinking outside the box. Reading the journal article by Uğur Akpur, Critical, Reflective, Creative Thinking and Their Reflections on Academic Achievement , inspired me to develop my creative thinking competency because it showed me the link between this competency and my academic and professional goals. Finally, the Solving Problems with Creative and Critical Thinking short course by IBM Skills Network Team clarified the difference between creative and critical thinking. In conclusion, while my creative thinking skills may not have improved as much as I hoped, the knowledge and insights I gained have laid a strong foundation for future growth. By actively applying these tools and strategies, I am confident that I can enhance my creative thinking abilities and achieve my goals.

Why this artefact was Included From learning about analytical thinking I noticed that it is very similar to critical thinking. This artifact helped me understand ways in which they intersect and are distinct from each other. Enhancing Decision-Making: The Power Of Analytical Thinking Holistique Training (2023). Enhancing Decision-Making: The Power of Analytical Thinking . [online] Holistique Training. Available at: https://holistiquetraining.com/en/news/empowering-your-mind-the-key-to-effective-decision-making [Accessed 7 Nov. 2024]. Analytical and critical thinking are two distinct but complementary cognitive processes. Although they're often used interchangeably, each has its own unique focus and applications. Understanding these differences is essential to leveraging their combined strength effectively. Analytical Thinking Analytical thinking involves the systematic examination of information. It focuses on breaking down complex problems and identifying patterns. Analysts scrutinize data meticulously, finding insights that are crucial for informed decision-making. This process is about understanding the 'what' and 'how' of a situation. Critical Thinking Critical thinking goes a step further. It involves assessing the validity of arguments, questioning underlying assumptions, and considering alternative perspectives. Critical thinkers explore the 'why' and 'what if,' aiming to evaluate the logical coherence of ideas. This approach is about understanding the 'why' and 'so what' of a situation. By combining both approaches, one can tackle problems comprehensively and make more robust, informed decisions. Short Reflection On Its Value This artifact helps me not confuse my critical thinking skills for analytical thinking, helping me measure whether or not I am actually making progress in trying to develop the analytical thinking competency.

Why this artefact was Included I wanted to continue to expand my understanding of how analytical thinking is done. Analytical Thinking in 4 Steps The Career Force (2019). Analytical Thinking in 4 Steps . YouTube . Available at: https://youtu.be/uV18HsZRdk0?si=MwrpZzU6ZXV4TlL1 [Accessed 7 Nov. 2024]. Analytical thinking helps to simplify complex topics in a routine way. It can be used to solve problems from all spheres of personal and professional life. Identify the problem : What do you need to solve. Make sure you are solving the whole problem and not only a small part. Determine your approach : How are you going to solve the problem? Figure out what problem solving approach is going to be most appropriate. What tools, techniques, or methods will you use. What data do you need? Are there resources or people that you need to include? Strategies how you with solve a problem makes the entire problem-solving process easier and allows you to go through the logical thinking of how to solve it and then supplement it with information you need to get the solution. You may break the problem into multiple parts which have to be solved which then takes care of the bigger issue at hand, Analyze the problem : Use the tools, techniques, or methods and data that you have gathered. You may use some assumptions, make note of these so that if the solution does not work these are the places you can go and change to get the desired outcome. Get the answer : Now that you have gathered and analysed the information, what is you solution. You are making the data and information actionable. Short Reflection On Its Value This artifact provided me with steps that gave me clarity as to where I can begin with practice analytical thinking.

Why this artefact was Included It is helped me understand analytical thinking. What are the 5 Core Concepts of Analytical Thinking? | Google Data Analytics Certificate Google Careers Certificate (2024). What are the 5 Core Concepts of Analytical Thinking? | Google Data Analytics Certificate . [online] YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/tJX6Ax00Q-A?si=biCkM_K5SMt_-Kmv [Accessed 7 Nov. 2024]. Analytical thinking is defined as identifying and designing a problem and then solving it by using data in and organised, step-by-step manner. There are five key aspects to analytical thinking: Visualisation Strategy Problem-identification Correlation Big-picture and detailed-oriented thinking Visualisation : The graphical representation of information. For example, graphs, maps, etc. Visualisation is important because it can help in understanding and explaining information more effectively. Being Strategic : With so much data available having a strategic mindset is key to staying focused and on track. Strategising helps in noticing what you want to achieve with the data and how you can get there, Strategy also helps improve the quality and usefulness of the data that is collected. This is how you know your data ais valuable and can help you achieve your goals. Problem-identification : Analysing data requires you to have a problem-oriented approach. It helps to identify, solve, and approach problems. It helps to keep the problem in focus through out the entire project. Correlation : Data is used to find a relationship between two things. It must be noted that correlation does not equal causation. Big-picture and detailed-oriented thinking : Being able to see the big picture as well as the details. Big picture thinking helps you to zoom out and recognise possibilities and opportunities. This leads to exciting new ideas or innovations. Detailed oriented thinking is about figuring out all the aspects that will help you execute a plan. Some people are more inclined to one thing than the other but there is always a chance to learn and grow. This is what makes someone a versatile thinker. This is a key quantity in an analytical thinker because more often than not the answers to a problem need to be looked for. Questions that arise when solving a problem are: What is the root cause of the problem? Root cause: The reason why a problem occurs. If it is identified and addressed we can prevent the problem from happening again. The five " why's " is a great strategy to find the root cause. Where are the gaps in our process? Gap analysis: A method for examining and evaluating how a process works currently in order to get where you want to be in the future. Helps to improve and become efficient. Evaluate where you are now and want to be then use the gap analysis to plan a way to get to where you want. What did we not consider before? What information or procedure might be missing from a process so that you can identify ways to make better decisions and strategies moving forward. Short Reflection On Its Value Visualizing information through graphs or maps really helps me grasp complex concepts. Having a strategic mindset keeps me focused and ensures I’m collecting valuable data aligned with my goals. Identifying the problem is crucial; it keeps me on track and makes sure my solutions are effective. Understanding correlations in data, even though they don’t imply causation, helps me uncover patterns. Balancing between seeing the big picture and focusing on details allows me to generate innovative ideas and execute them efficiently. Asking the right questions, like identifying root causes or finding gaps, guides me towards comprehensive solutions.

Leaders enable people to act. They cause things to happen. These causes are: Momentum: It is creating a work culture where everyone is seeking to achieve success constantly. Leaders have the ability to get momentum going. Leaders have to prepare to motivate people so that it can lead to momentum in the organisation. The motivation is developed from setting small achievable goals for the people being lead. Leader preparation creates momentum. Motivation sustains momentum. To start momentum, it is necessary to define where you are, where we should be and where we ultimately want to go. Based on these definitions you can set goals. Then create small achievable goals as steps towards the goals that the organisation has. Achieving the small goals will create a work culture where everyone is seeking to achieve success constantly due to the motivation that it builds in people. Change: Leaders have the ability to cause change. The pace of change should be faster within the leader than the pace of change within the organisation. The pace of change in the organisation should be faster than the pace of change occurring externally. Growth: The people around them and the organisation is growing. Leaders disseminate skills and knowledge they hold to the people in their organisation which leads to the growth of both the people and organisation. Therefore, it is important for leaders to be eager to learn new skills and knowledge. The first tenet, momentum is well integrated into how I approach leading group projects. During the first group meeting is when we define where you are, where we should be and where we ultimately want to go. Thereafter, the goals are set and divided as fairly as possible according ot group members. Then there is an in-depth discussion about each goal where each group member helps set small achievable goals to ultimately meet their assigned objective.    I learned that if I want to be a better at leading, I have to adapt to the external changes, for example different groups, assignments, etc., at a faster pace than the pace at which I am beginning new group projects. This is another tenet that I always do when I join new groups, I ensure that we have the necessary communication platforms need and the tools such as a shared google doc or a Canva graphic design template before or during the first group meeting. Lastly, I am now aware of the importance of learning new skills and acquiring knowledge which I can share to team members. I am already someone who enjoys learning new skills and knowledge and sharing it with my group members. As I recall, I was the member who introduced and assisted my 2023 team members in navigating and using a graphic design tool called Canva. Being able to recognise that I am not a blank canvas through this podcast episode has made me keener on implement the lessons that I learned as I develop this competency. Through this podcast I realised that I am not as bad at leadership as I thought but I should apply the four capabilities of successful leaders, Artifact 1 The Secret To Having Influence by Ron Carucci, to make leadership a more enjoyable experience for me and the people work with.    Link to the Podcast episode: https://youtu.be/UCek3dE18UU?si=S3-iB-wqayGKkPwB

Why this artefact was Included I wanted to understand why some of the strategies have not worked for me, this video was instrumental in providing me the clarity I needed. Why is it Impossible to Gain Confidence? Sometimes Repetition, repetition, repetition , putting yourself out there to face that failure is a part of life, etc. Dr. Alok Kanojia says this happens because you can't gain confidence. Confidence is the default state and what you gain is insecurities. So you need instead to be letting go of something. The solution to gaining confidence is to unlearn insecurity. This phenomenon can be observed in children, if they are in a healthy environment they are confident. The default nature state is to be confident. People then lose their confidence because they are taught insecurity. People can't gain confidence because it is lost. How do you unlearn insecurity: Return to your baseline. Let go of things you have picked up along the way. Work through core beliefs that have been formed through internalised feelings from negative external experiences. Ask yourself when was the last time you felt confident and what changed that you no longer feel that way. There are usually emotional charged experiences. The second is that these emotions are usually not worked though, they are unresolved. When these emotions and experiences are worked through you begin to realise that the conclusions that were drawn which developed into insecurities were unrealistic. What we need to do is go back and reexamine these experiences. And recontextualise these experiences and understand how you felt. The powerful emotions often lead to incorrect conclusions. Hence why you need to deal with this experience and more often than not external learning does not help. The answer then is to take approaches that help you dig up the experience, analyse it, and then ask yourself what were the more appropriate conclusions you could have drawn. Experience the emotions that rise when you realise that you may have been caring around an insecurity that was unfounded. This does not fix it but helps you to identify and address it appropriate when lessons its power over time. And that's when the confidence comes back. When is substantiated by the going out, repetition, repetition, repetition, etc, the problem with doing the actions first is that it can be a negative feedback loop if thing do not go well. Short Reflection On Its Value This artifact gave me a nuanced view of what confidence is and helped me understand that they are informed by lived experiences.