Pam DeShaw - Epidemiology

An RN since 1968, Pam DeShaw had already had a lengthy career when she entered the Division of Epidemiology's Community Health Education program in 2000. Having worked since 1982 in the emergency room at Fairview-University Hospital's Riverside campus, DeShaw had seen first-hand that many members of the Somali community would come to the ER for their basic medical needs.

Through her coursework, DeShaw focused her MPH studies on developing and evaluating outreach programs for immigrant communities. "I came out excited," she says. "And not afraid."

Now the December 2002 graduate is taking the skills she learned in the classroom back to the community, through different projects that offer health education to Somalis.

Among her many undertakings are health classes for Somali women and a survey of Somalis about their use of the ER. She plans to develop an education program incorporating videotaped classes on different health topics aimed specifically at the Somali audience.

And, even though it was daunting for the 57-year-old DeShaw to return to school (amid mostly younger classmates), she's found that her age and experience have helped her gain the trust of the Somalis she works with. "The older you are, the more respected you are," she says.