“I want to help change the world and make a difference. I really care about mental health, global health, health care access and quality, and advancing health equity in all of these areas. Addressing equity to reduce health disparities will help our society progress as a whole — there won’t be any losers in that game.
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I’m studying public health because it is interdisciplinary, and I’m able to explore issues that affect people’s health outside of proximate factors like diet, exercise, or sanitation. Public health looks at the larger context and emphasizes prevention over treatment.
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I like that public health is a lot of problem-solving and that it challenges my way of thinking. I’ve learned to not shy away from asking questions, because even if I don’t have the solution, someone else will. And exploring those questions will help address root causes of disparities.
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Public health also encourages me to be active in socio-political discussions because of its focus on social determinants of health. Knowing how social structures influence health and who is setting up these structures is important in order to recognize why inequities are present and persist in communities. Working to reduce health disparities experienced by marginalized (and for the most part minority) groups ensures that truly EVERYONE is healthy.”

— Miko, Public Health Administration & Policy MPH student