From clinical practice to digital impact: Reflections on the MSc in Applied Digital Health at Oxford

About the author: 

Daina Mandewo is a medical doctor and digital health innovator passionate about leveraging Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies to drive healthcare transformation across Africa. As Head of Operations at VaxiGlobal, Daina coordinated large-scale biometric verification of COVID-19 vaccine records in partnership with the World Food Program and the Austrian Development Agency. She has mentored digital health projects for young leaders in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda under MCW Global. Daina is completing her MSc in Applied Digital Health and looks forward to joining Saïd Business School this autumn to pursue an MBA focused on impact investment and access to funding for African-led digital health innovations.

When I graduated from medical school, many expected me to pursue a traditional clinical career. The typical questions included 'What will you specialise in?' and 'Can you prescribe me something?'. However, my vision was firmly rooted in a different path, one that harnesses the potential of digital technology to improve healthcare access and equity across Africa.

Traditional postgraduate pathways did not comprehensively encompass my interests in medicine, digital health and systems-level implementation. When I learned about Oxford’s MSc in Applied Digital Health, I was intrigued by how the course integrates human-centred design, behavioural science, emerging technologies and their application in health care. It quickly became clear to me that it was the most appropriate next step.

As I now come to the end of my studies, I am really glad that I made that decision. This past year at Oxford has enriched my perspectives on digital health. The course is as academically rigorous as it is practical. I leave the MSc in Applied Digital health with a considered and humanistic lens through which I approach digital health.   

The following reflection outlines my experience using three thematic pillars that defined my learning: Applied, Adapted and Alive. These themes emerged naturally over the course of the programme and reflect not only what I studied, but also how the course shaped my personal and professional development.

Applied: Bridging Practice with Pedagogy

Before joining the MSc, my work at VaxiGlobal already required applying digital innovation in complex, resource-constrained environments. The MSc in Applied Digital Health offered the opportunity to formalise and extend that experience. Rather than focusing solely on theory, the course promoted application of lived experience and active reflection. Lecturers encouraged students to interrogate course content in relation to their own contexts and expertise.

On the first day of class, Professor Catherine Pope challenged us to think critically about what ‘digital health’ means and problematise the role of digital innovations in health care. It was a paradigm shift that changed my preconceived notions about technology as a panacea to all health challenges. Professor John Powell encouraged us to take on all forms of learning available in Oxford and over the three terms, I have attended over 17 seminars relevant to artificial Intelligence and emerging digital health technologies. That is the unique advantage of being in Oxford, you have access to cutting edge interdisciplinary developments in digital health spanning across engineering, computer science and entrepreneurship.

Our class was quite diverse and included clinicians from Antigua, Cameroon, South Africa and Taiwan, fintech consultants from Germany and South Korea, and health economists from the Australia and the United States. This allowed for rigorous discussion and practical insights into the challenges and opportunities of digital health implementation.

Modules such as Harnessing Big Data for Clinical Decision Support and Digital Transformation of Primary Care offered tangible skills in evaluating, designing and scaling digital interventions. We were encouraged to challenge and think critically about digital health. Classroom discussions and group work in User-Centred Design were grounded in real-world application, systems inter-operability and policy relevance. This alignment between applied learning and contextual practice was one of the most valuable aspects of the programme for me.

Adapted: Evolving Ways of Thinking and Learning

Adaptation was not limited to adjusting to the academic environment at Oxford. It also involved transforming my cognitive approach to problem solving. The MSc placed significant emphasis on policy-level thinking, implementation challenges and the social and behavioural contexts in which technologies operate. These dimensions required me to rethink assumptions and embrace ambiguity.

My dissertation examines the role of digital tools in maternity triage and it has challenged me to consider the unintended consequences of digital health innovations. In doing so, I had to engage deeply with clinical data, equity concerns and regulatory standards. This project would not have been possible without the flexible and responsive supervision model adopted by the course. I am especially grateful to Professor Nadja Leith, my academic supervisor, for her support.

Over the course of my research, I collaborated closely with the Oxford Labour Monitoring team and Professor Antoniya Georgieva. On our very first meeting, she told me to 'be comfortable in not knowing'. This sound advice encouraged me to iteratively learn and re-learn as I reflected on the realities and complexities of digital health implementation in clinical care.

Alive: Human-Centred Technology in Practice

Digital health is not solely about automation or efficiency. It is fundamentally about people. One of the distinguishing features of the MSc was its emphasis on ethical, social and political dimensions of technology. Whether in discussions about algorithmic bias or debates on the role of private actors in health data governance, we were constantly reminded that every data point represents a human life.

This commitment to human-centred care was not limited to the classroom. It was embedded in the programme culture. From group projects to supervisor meetings, there was a shared understanding that empathy and serious work can coexist. The personal compassion extended to me by the course leads and peers during my time of grief when my grandmother passed on during Michaelmas term was reflective of the programme’s values.

The MSc provided a foundation for assessing digital tools not just on performance metrics, but also on the basis of their contribution to human dignity and equitable health outcomes. As I transition into business school at the Saïd Business School, these values will continue to inform how I support digital health entrepreneurs, especially those operating in under-resourced settings.

From Oxford to Africa and Beyond

The MSc in Applied Digital Health has been transformative. It offered a rare combination of academic depth, practical relevance, and human empathy. Through structured modules, peer learning and independent research, I developed the tools to critically assess digital innovations and their role in health systems.

As I begin my MBA at Oxford's Saïd Business School, I will focus on supporting African-led health technologies through investment, implementation science and regulatory readiness. My goal is to ensure that digital health systems are not only technically sound, but also contextually appropriate and inclusive.

For those considering this course, I personally endorse it to you. It is an opportunity to join a community that believes in the transformative power of technology without losing sight of the people it is meant to serve.