When I graduated from medical school in 2014, I was assigned to several three-month rotations during which I had the opportunity to gain experience in various aspects of medicine such as surgery, emergency medicine, geriatrics, oncology and family medicine.  During this time, I started to develop a special interest in general medicine and in the management of chronic conditions and I felt the need to pursue this interest further both from an academic and a practical view.  Hence, I searched online for various postgraduate courses and I found that the MSc in Internal Medicine at the University of Edinburgh suited my objectives most.  During this time I was awarded an ENDEAVOUR scholarship which gave me more impetus to pursue my goals.

I have chosen to pursue a postgraduate course since I have always been interested in improving my knowledge and clinical decision-making in general medicine in order to enhance the level of care I can provide for my patients. This course has also helped me to broaden my views and increase access to a network of colleagues in order to be able to share information and identify areas of prioritisation in medical care. I believe that such assets can all contribute towards smart and sustainable growth in the health sector, health being one of the priorities that ensure sustainable growth in society. Sustainable development cannot be achieved without improving the quality of life which entails maintaining the health of the population to a satisfactory level.  Only through a good understanding of medical knowledge, clinical management and decision-making skills will the quality of clinical care improve, hence the significance of lifelong learning.

Postgraduate courses can be a fundamental investment in one's education and can also be an excellent opportunity to evaluate one's learning needs by means of self-directed learning. This learning experience would contribute towards a more self-disciplined person who knows how to co-ordinate activities and implement tasks effectively by means of careful planning and appropriate time management. Moreover, such postgraduate courses can contribute towards sustaining one's pro-activity and strategic thinking skills in order to be better equipped to evoke positive change in the workplace. Investing in continuing education would provide the necessary training to be able to develop the ability to make increasingly independent management decisions with regards to clinical care.

I believe that scholarships such as the ENDEAVOUR scholarship can be of significant assistance to pursue one's studies further, hence improving the quality of one's skills.  This would in turn translate into a higher level of research and innovations in areas such as science and technology. Postgraduate education is a significant part of a country's economic and social agenda, ensuring that there is a supply of people with good quality tertiary education who can contribute their knowledge and skills in fields such as finance, creative industries, education, health, humanities, information and communication technology, tourism and international affairs.  Such knowledge and skills would undoubtedly be of significant relevance towards Malta's strategic priorities.

Dr Kirsten Schembri MD MSc (Internal Medicine) has completed a Masters Degree in Internal Medicine at the University of Edinburgh following the award of an ENDEAVOUR scholarship