Key Learnings from the 631 Experience

I had to dig back into my memory for reflections from 631, as I unfortunately needed to take last semester off following the sudden passing of my Mom. Returning to MHST 632 after a semester away has made it challenging to recall all of the material from 631, but it has also prompted me to revisit the material.

The population health promotion framework (PHPF) is a strong determinant of health framework that shaped my thinking and will be useful for my chosen health topic- an acquired brain injury education campaign. One limitation for me is that I am much more comfortable with the PHPF, mainly because it has been used so consistently throughout the coursework and by classmates. That familiarity makes it easier for me to see how the PHPF fits in practice, but it also means I am less confident about when and how to use the other frameworks. I can see their value, but I am still figuring out how to move from concept to applying them in a real and meaningful way.

As I move through MHST 632, I am hoping to better understand when different frameworks are most useful, and how they can be blended together rather than used in isolation. I am especially interested in how to apply evidence-informed approaches while still being responsive to real-world system constraints, particularly in rural and remote communities where ideal models do not always align with what is feasible. For me, the challenge is less about understanding the theory, and more about learning how to use these frameworks in ways that are practical, flexible, and grounded in the realities of the systems we work in