Profile

1. In one sentence, what is public health to you?

Public health, for me, is the endeavor to create a world in which all populations reach an ideal level of health and wellbeing.

2. What inspired you to study public health?

While pursuing a degree in medicine, I realized that the values and practices of public health are vital for truly remedying current health issues.

3. What has been the single most rewarding experience of your career/studies so far?

My most rewarding experience would be when I helped an acquaintance quit smoking by applying the skills and knowledge I learned from my studies.

4. What is the one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were starting out in public health?

I would advise open-mindedness and flexibility. Public health is an extremely complex field and deals with issues that will require not only hard work, but passion and patience as well.

5. What do you think is the biggest challenge that the public health field should be focusing on?

I think that public health should be focusing more on the fundamentals of health such as adequate nutrition and shelter, instead of “hot topic” issues such as insurance or vaccinations.