Welcome to my Portfolio of Learning for Managing Health Projects. This collection captures my journey of engaging with the complexities, challenges, and opportunities that arise in health project management, particularly in contexts that require compassion, adaptability, and a deep understanding of systems thinking.
This has not only been an academic exercise, but a personal one. As someone invested in family medicine and primary care, I've found myself often thinking about how project management in health isn't just about logistics, it's about people, values, and sometimes, tough choices.
This portfolio brings together a range of tasks, reflections, and learning moments that emerged throughout this module. It includes:
I'm Ethan Terblanche, both a student in health systems science and a project coordinator with a growing interest in how leadership can transform healthcare at the ground level. I find meaning in bridging theory and practice, especially in settings that often feel overstretched and under-resourced.
What drives me is a strong belief in the everyday dignity of people and the systems that serve them. Whether through health promotion, policy engagement, or hands-on coordination, I want to contribute to change that feels tangible. Not always perfect, but real.
My values? Integrity, empathy, and curiosity. I'm drawn to challenges that require more than just ticking boxes—challenges that ask you to think deeply, listen harder, and act with purpose. My long-term aspiration is to be part of community-based initiatives that don't just deliver services, but shift systems.
At the beginning of this course, I wasn't entirely sure how "entrepreneurship" fit into health systems science. The word made me think of startups, profits, and fast-paced business models far removed from community clinics or long-standing public health challenges.
But the more I reflected, the more I realized that entrepreneurship is really about mindset. It's about noticing gaps others ignore. Seeing opportunities in constraints. And daring to imagine alternatives, even within rigid systems.
At this point, I wouldn't have called myself an entrepreneur. But I think I had the seeds: creativity, resourcefulness, and a willingness to try. I just needed to frame them in a way that made sense in healthcare.
Over the course of this module, I aim to grow in these two areas through intentional practice, feedback, and self-reflection. For emotional intelligence, I will work on improving how I respond to stress, uncertainty, and conflict—especially in group settings. I plan to journal weekly about team interactions and monitor moments when I either withheld or expressed emotions constructively.
For systems thinking, I want to go beyond surface-level project planning and challenge myself to identify root causes and interdependencies. I'll use mind-mapping tools and systems diagrams during project simulations and seek mentorship or peer feedback when I'm "too zoomed in" on isolated issues.
This development plan will evolve, but these competencies feel essential not only for the success of any health project, but for the kind of leader I hope to become.
I understand that academic integrity is more than just avoiding plagiarism, it's about honesty, respect, and the responsibility to grow through my own learning.
I commit to producing work that reflects my personal understanding, effort, and critical thinking. Where collaboration or referencing is appropriate, I will be transparent and follow ethical guidelines.
More importantly, I promise to approach this course, and all others with a mindset of growth. If I don't know something, I'd rather learn it slowly and truthfully than shortcut the process. Because in health, the integrity of your work really can impact lives.