Vanderbilt Master of Public Health, Global Health Track Class of 2022 (not all are pictured)
Photo source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/vanderbilt-mph/51483370508/in/album-72157…
Congratulations to our ten graduates from the Global Health Track in the Master of Public Health Program! Through coursework, practicum experiences, and culminating experience projects, these graduates have demonstrated outstanding competency in global public health. Their achievements can be seen in the following project descriptions.
- Abby Peterson: For her practicum, Abby worked with Primeros Pasos Clinic in Guatemala to develop a survey to assess household heath care needs in ten rural villages. Abby’s capstone was titled “Working Toward Health Equity: Assessing Current Practice and Planning for the Future.” Abby will be a Program Coordinator for Graduate Medical Education in psychiatry with HCA.
- Ali Odenthal: For her practicum, Ali researched and developed materials on adverse childhood experiences for The Family Center. Ali’s thesis was titled “Post Discharge Opioid Prescribing and Use after Vaginal Birth.” Ali will begin working as a Research Coordinator at the Veteran’s Association Hospital.
- Anita Ndekezi: For her practicum, Anita evaluated a youth empowerment program in Rwanda and worked with the Tennessee Emerging Infection Program on public health surveillance. Anita’s capstone was titled “Designing a Social Enterprise to Address Social Determinants of Health in Rwanda.” She is moving to Kenya, with plans to begin a social enterprise in Rwanda.
- Becca Lee: For her practicum, Becca compared the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern among vaccinated and unvaccinated COVID-19 cases. Becca’s thesis was titled “The Impact of Timely Access to Care on Breast Cancer Survival Among Young Black Women.” She will be applying to medical school this summer.
- Isaac Schlotterbeck: For his practicum, Isaac created a gap analysis for academic partnership for enhancements in research at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane in Mozambique. Isaac’s thesis was titled “Disparities in Loss to Follow-Up/Mortality Before vs. After Registry Linkage in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru.” Isaac will be a Senior Analyst at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Center for Health Services Research. He is a dual degree student and will also earn a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies.
- Kristyne Mansilla: For her practicum, Kristyne analyzed postpartum visit attendance and contraceptive method effectiveness in Tennessee from 2016-2019. Kristyne’s thesis was “HIV knowledge among pregnant women in South Africa.” Kristyne will be a Research Assistant at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
- Lorely Chavez: For her practicum, Lorely worked with Primeros Pasos Clinic in Guatemala to create a survey that would be used to develop strategies to address health workforce support during the pandemic. Lorely’s thesis is “Investigating Poor Health Outcomes Among People in Rural Guatemala.” She is a dual degree student and will also earn a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies.
- Maria Sheridan: For her practicum, Maria worked with The African Health Innovation Centre in Ghana to develop workplace well-being initiatives within West African startup companies. Maria’s capstone was titled “The Business of Public Health.” Maria has begun working as a Business Operations Manager with Groups Recover Together.
- Noor Ali: For her practicum, Noor conducted a needs assessment of IRBs in Liberia. Noor’s thesis was titled “Pathways for African American Success: A Look into Iatrogenic Effects and Peer Victimization.” Noor will be attending medical school in the fall at the University of Kentucky.
- Sarah Grossarth: Sarah worked with Lwala Community Alliance in Kenya to evaluate their Helping Babies Breathe program for her practicum. Sarah’s thesis was titled “Infant Mortality Associated with Prenatal Opioid Exposure in Tennessee.” Sarah will be attending medical school in the fall at East Tennessee State University.
We thank the many individuals who worked with these graduates as mentoring committee members over the past two years and/or practicum, thesis, or capstone mentors! The Global Health Track is co-directed by Drs. Marie Martin and Elizabeth Rose.