Program: BA in Public Health
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2026
I came into UTD as a Sociology and Neuroscience double major to employ social behavioral understanding into healthcare as a pre-med. I have since merged the interests into the recently established Public Health major.
The faculty and the opportunities made available have been life-changing. The Sociology/Public Health faculty here are a small but growing and mighty team. If I wanted to talk about theory and general health disparities research, Dr. Richard Scotch would help me explore and ask as many questions I wanted to handle. When I needed a research project, Dr. Sheryl Skaggs put me to work immediately and gracefully humored my post-class conversations lasting for 15-20 minutes at a time. Finally, Dr. Galen-Dickey showered me with practical advice and professional connections for as many careers in public health that an undergraduate could ever dream of.
The Archer Fellowship fully funded me to study and work in Washington D.C. for a semester at my dream agency whose jurisdiction included the pricing and regulation of basic healthcare costs (The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – Innovation Center; CMS/CMMI). EPPS provided me the knowledge of the program and faithfully encouraged me to go after one of the most memorable highlights of my early career along with 10 other UT Dallas students in my cohort.
Short-term: hopefully utilize study-abroad opportunity to go to Europe; finish research and creative projects; begin studying for standardized entry test for medical school (MCAT).
Long-term: graduate from medical school with a combined MBA or MPH program to begin implementing systemic changes to healthcare systems.
Explore and demonstrate what you’re interested in and the career will follow. What are you passionate about? If you could solve any of the world’s many problems today, what would it be? Use this time to learn and gain experience in that area in a structured and actionable way using the resources that UTD and the Dallas-area provides. Do not limit yourself – the world will try to do that for you – and reflect at the end of each day to double check if you genuinely enjoy what you’re doing.