"Originally I was planning to go to medical school. In fact, I applied before coming here."

Since I got my BS degree in biochemistry, I started looking into biostatistics to continue my education. It was the intersection between math and medicine, and provided a perfect degree plan. It also aligns well with the interests that I picked up while working in a clinic and scribing in the ER.

I like helping people. I like the long-term outlook. With medicine, you work with individuals, one at a time, and in the moment. With public health you’re looking at the long-term with an entire community or population. There’s strategy to it and you’re able to make policies that affect people on a larger scale.

My dad always said I was a little advocate for everything, but never did I think I’d work in public health. It feels natural, it feels like a very good fit for some of the personal and career goals I have of helping people.

Currently I’m working on HIV clinical trials. Through that, I’m writing a manuscript (scientific article) and I’ve been able to see the disparities and access to health. Other countries have large populations without adequate healthcare. I would definitely want to affect the way it changes in the future. I would love to end up at a cancer research hospital and I’d love to help out on cancer clinical trials.