Master of Public Health graduating students (Photo by Jennifer Lobo)
The Department of Public Health Sciences was excited to host the Master of Public Health Spring Semester Poster Day last week. Twenty-seven graduating MPH students presented their work and recommendations to improve Health Outcomes and Community Health.
Graduating Student Aishwarya Sivasubramanian summed up the spirit of the event, noting “I’m really proud of the work I was able to do, combining my knowledge in public health and biostatistics that helps culminate into my ILE, with Professor Gurka’s guidance!”
Matthew Gurka, PhD, chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences and Aishwarya’s advisor noted, “Aishwarya exemplifies the determination and motivation we see in our MPH students. Independently, she identified an important problem – health insurance claim denials – and then found data and learned novel approaches to analyze these data to better understand this problem.”
“It has been so amazing to use my undergraduate student council experience in my MPH ILE,” said graduating MPH student Ava Bagherian. “I used de-identified data to show that by removing cost we can increase STI testing among female and certain minoritized students. It gives students their own informed consent to know their status and not worry about cost or family privacy concerns.”
Graduating MPH student Ariana Gatewood said, “My ILE project explores the geospatial relationship between poverty, food accessibility, and chronic disease burden across census tracts. By identifying areas with the highest need and mapping existing food pantry locations, the analysis assesses whether current resources are optimally located to serve vulnerable communities and highlights opportunities for targeted intervention and strategic partnership development.”
Dr. Gurka summed up the thoughts of all the faculty stating, “I can’t wait to witness the successes our students have as they embark on their public health careers.”
All MPH students complete an Integrative Learning Experience (ILE), a final project that demonstrates synthesis of MPH knowledge and skills developed over a 42-credit hour curriculum. Students select an ILE topic in consultation with an MPH Program Faculty advisor appropriate to their educational and professional goals, based on their Program Concentration. The student may choose one of a variety of methodologies such as economic analysis, policy analysis, geospatial/GIS analysis, program evaluation, health care quality assessment, qualitative analysis, health impact analysis, and quantitative analysis.
In the Research in Practice Concentration, students develop the knowledge and skills public health professionals and clinicians use to conduct research and create and evaluate programs. Students can choose to focus on quantitative and qualitative methods.
In the Health Policy, Law & Ethics Concentration, students explore the US healthcare and public health systems by developing and analyzing health-related policies and laws. Students utilize numerous methodological approaches, including quantitative, qualitative, economic, evaluation, and ethical analysis.
UVA MPH graduates are employed in consulting firms; health departments and other local, state, and federal agencies; health care delivery systems; and nonprofit community agencies. Some students pursue further education in medicine, law, business, or doctoral training in public health.
Photos by Jennifer Lobo.
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