The Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and CEO for University of Utah Health, Dr. Bob S. Carter has challenged graduates of Ensign Global University’s Master of Public Health (MPH) Class of 2026 to use their professional training to improve healthcare delivery, address inequalities and develop innovative solutions to public health challenges across Ghana and Africa.
In a graduation address as a Keynote Speaker at the university’s 11th congregation ceremony, Dr Bob urged the graduates to embrace three key pillars of professional development: leadership, professionalism and entrepreneurialism.
He said the future of healthcare on the continent would depend largely on professionals who understood the needs of their communities and could translate that knowledge into practical interventions.
Dr Bob, who shared lessons from his career as a neurosurgeon and epidemiologist, said public health professionals must look beyond patients who visit healthcare facilities and pay attention to individuals and communities who are unable to access care.
“Public health challenges us to think about the people who may never make it to our clinic door and how we can better support those individuals,” he said.
Drawing on an experience from his early medical career, he recounted how his mentor, Dr Henry Brehm, a neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins, taught him the importance of giving patients hope even when their medical conditions were critical.
He said the senior surgeon demonstrated that healthcare professionals had an important responsibility to support patients through difficult circumstances and help them identify a way forward, regardless of the outcome.
According to him, the lesson extended beyond clinical practice to leadership, where professionals must remain present, supportive and optimistic even when challenges appear overwhelming.
He urged the graduates to demonstrate leadership by helping colleagues overcome difficulties, encouraging teamwork and preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals to surpass their achievements.
On professionalism, Dr Bob stressed the importance of maintaining high standards, particularly when working under pressure or when nobody was watching.
He said two questions had guided his medical career: whether he had done enough and whether he had done his best.
He encouraged the graduates to adopt the same attitude by paying attention to details, seeking assistance when necessary and taking additional steps to ensure patients received quality care.
“Patients lead us into some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. They share fears with us that they may not have shared with others, and they trust us with their future,” he said.
He added that such trust must be earned through consistent actions, integrity and commitment to professional standards.
Dr Bob also highlighted the importance of entrepreneurialism, urging graduates to identify gaps in healthcare delivery and develop practical solutions rather than relying exclusively on existing approaches.
He said innovation required professionals to identify challenges, develop ideas, bring relevant stakeholders together and test solutions while learning from failures.
He cautioned that solutions developed in other countries might not necessarily address local challenges, insisting that healthcare interventions must reflect the realities, resources and circumstances of the communities they are intended to serve.
“An idea that is developed somewhere else still has to work right here in our community, in your community, with the people and resources that you have,” he said.
He further encouraged the graduates to use their education, professional networks and growing influence to create opportunities for others, strengthen healthcare systems and support underserved populations.
Dr Bob reaffirmed the University of Utah’s commitment to its partnership with Ensign Global University, describing the relationship as an important collaboration built around shared aspirations for human prosperity.
He noted that the University of Utah had been proud to support Ensign Global University over the years, adding that the partnership reflected a shared commitment to improving public health education.
He also highlighted Ensign Global University’s achievement in 2024 of becoming the first institution in Africa to receive accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), a United States-based accrediting body.
According to him, the accreditation demonstrated the institution’s commitment to internationally recognised standards of public health education.
Beyond professional responsibilities, Dr Bob advised the graduates to make time for their families and loved ones, warning against postponing happiness until they achieved their next career milestones.
He said maintaining meaningful relationships and appreciating the small victories in their professional and personal lives were essential to sustaining their commitment to healthcare.
To illustrate the long-term impact of compassionate care, he recounted the story of a young woman he treated for a serious brain tumour more than 20 years ago.
He said the patient underwent a challenging 14-hour operation followed by weeks of rehabilitation.
Although her recovery was difficult, he encouraged her to remain hopeful when she expressed doubts about her ability to continue.
The woman eventually recovered, attended medical school and became a physician who now treats patients with brain tumours.
Dr Bob said the experience demonstrated how a single act of encouragement and professional care could influence lives for decades.
He urged the graduates to recognise that their contributions might extend far beyond the individuals and communities they directly serve.
He encouraged them to approach the public health oath with a strong sense of responsibility, remembering that their work could protect mothers, children and entire communities they might never personally encounter.
“You may encourage a colleague who is close to giving up or teach a student who goes on to help people that you will never meet. Your part in someone’s life may be brief, but its effects can last for decades,” he said.
He expressed confidence in the graduates’ ability to make meaningful contributions to healthcare delivery and public health development in Ghana and across Africa, congratulating the Class of 2026 on their achievement.
