Why I chose Gillings

Smritee Thapa

First-year MPH in Health Equity, Social Justice and Human Rights

I came to the realization that I wanted to pursue public health several months after my undergraduate graduation. I have long been passionate about transforming systems of inequity, drawing from both my personal experiences and hearing others’ stories. I also realized that I often gravitated towards equity-related roles in my academic, professional and personal life and knew that I wanted to continue in that direction. Knowing this, some friends suggested that I look into the public health field, and it quickly felt like the right fit for me.

I was specifically drawn to the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Health Equity, Social Justice and Human Rights at Gillings due to my prior experiences and my belief that public health and equity are intertwined, and one cannot exist without the other. Gillings was one of the few schools that I considered that offered a concentration of its kind. Other factors that I took into account primarily included location, cost and funding availability. Now that I am at Gillings, I am excited to learn and grow over these next two years. Although the field of equity is full of questions that do not have one correct answer, I hope to achieve a greater understanding of the role that I can play in eliminating inequities through community-led initiatives.

Laura Hergenrother, MPhil

Second-year doctoral student

As a young person, I always envisioned a career focused on improving the health of those around me. With time, I came to realize that my ideal path included research, advocacy and mentoring. Through these means, I hope to become a leader in reducing inequities in maternal and child health outcomes, which is why I chose to pursue a doctoral degree in public health.

From the first moment I walked through the doors, I knew Gillings would be a wonderful place to pursue research on health outcomes associated with family-friendly policies like paid family leave. Not only did the research and practical commitment to health equity draw me in, the feeling of community and inclusion was instant. I was looking for a friendly and rigorous place to train and build confidence in my next steps as a researcher, and Gillings fulfilled those needs.

I considered several other programs, mostly in the United Kingdom, which is where I did my master’s. While the emphasis on doctoral training overseas is on research, I realized that I sought additional training in quantitative analysis to round out my qualitative skillset and achieve my career goals in health policy research. Gillings and my wonderful, wonderful mentors offer fantastic training to achieve these aims. The skills and knowledge that I have gained in the past year have empowered me to believe that I am ready to produce a dissertation that I am extremely proud of. Moving forward, I know that Gillings will equip me to start my career leading research projects on socioeconomic policies that promote equitable health benefits for our parents, infants, families and communities.

Araba Oduro

Second-year MPH student in Global Health

I became interested in public health because of its holistic approach to addressing health disparities and improving the well-being of communities, particularly underserved populations. My background as a clinician in child health and my experience working on various health projects, like Operation Zero Mortality and MEBCI 2.0, showed me how social determinants and systemic inequities can deeply affect health outcomes. Public health felt like a path where I could make a broader impact beyond individual patient care, focusing on preventative care and health equity.

Gillings stood out to me because of its emphasis on innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and commitment to addressing real-world health challenges.

Gillings stood out to me because of its emphasis on innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and commitment to addressing real-world health challenges, especially in global health, which aligns with my concentration. The School’s strong reputation — being the number one public school of public health in the United States and second best overall — its dedicated faculty and opportunities for hands-on experience made it feel like a place where I could grow and develop new skills for a career in public health.

When considering a school, I look for a curriculum that balances theory and practical application, faculty expertise, the availability of research opportunities, and strong support for student engagement and networking. A commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion are also key factors for me. I considered other schools but ultimately chose Gillings because it offered the best combination of academic excellence, affordability, and a commitment to inclusion and diversity that aligned with my professional and personal values.

Through my program at Gillings, I hope to gain the skills and knowledge to lead impactful public health initiatives, particularly those that address health disparities and improve maternal and child health outcomes in low-resource settings. I also aim to build a strong network of public health professionals and engage in meaningful research that contributes to policy and practice.

Ariel Snyder

Second-year MPH student in Maternal, Child and Family Health Concentration

In 2020, I was diagnosed with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Prior to my diagnosis, I had been seriously ill for several years with symptoms that my doctors struggled to classify. Receiving my long-awaited PCOS diagnosis was bittersweet, as it offered only short-term relief. Like so many people with PCOS, of which there are nearly five million in the U.S., I was immediately informed by my health care provider that viable treatments were essentially nonexistent. In the ensuing three years, I would be diagnosed with a range of comorbid chronic health conditions associated with PCOS, mostly metabolic health issues — all of which lack integrated treatment protocols. Influenced by my personal journey and frustration with the lack of reproductive disorder research and interventions, I made the decision to pivot into public health and enroll in the MPH program in the Maternal, Child and Family Health concentration at the Gillings School.

As a first-generation student from a lower-resourced family and an older returning student with chronic health issues, I wanted to find a school that would value my lived experience as much as my professional and academic experiences. Additionally, since reproductive disorders remain an overlooked issue across all public health institutions, I knew the Gillings School’s maternal and child health (MCH) department would provide me the best possible access to explore the intersection of reproductive health research, implementation science, reproductive health policy and reproductive justice. I also found that I matched the energy of previous MPH students, and I wasn’t wrong – my fellow second-year MCH students are among the smartest and loveliest people.

Culture was of paramount importance when evaluating MPH programs, along with mentorship opportunities. Ultimately, I sought an inclusive, supportive, friendly and rigorous learning environment. Location was another factor. The access to nature that Chapel Hill/Carrboro affords was a big selling point! I also considered other great programs, but they didn’t meet the culture fit or offer the research opportunities I found at the Gillings School.

Ultimately, I hope to transform my lived experience with PCOS into positive, systemic solutions that will decrease time to diagnosis, produce more accurate measures of prevalence, increase federal funding for reproductive disorder research and reduce PCOS patient suffering. In terms of immediate next steps, I plan to continue my education in hopes of becoming an implementation scientist and eventually translate reproductive disorder research into improved policies, medical guidelines and treatments.

Mary Feser

Second-year MPH in Applied Epidemiology

While I’ve always been interested in health, my interest in public health solidified while working in HIV cost-effectiveness research after college (coinciding with the start of COVID-19). These experiences sparked an interest in infectious disease epidemiology and control, which I’ve further explored during my MPH program. More broadly, because health is foundational — our health and the health of others around us impacts all facets of life — and because all our societal choices impact health, I think public health is a particularly rich and fascinating field.

What set Gillings apart from other top public health schools was the quality of the epidemiology methods education, the culture and the affordable cost. The epidemiology department is one of the best in the country, but it retains a collaborative and welcoming culture. From when I was first accepted to the program, I was struck by how often faculty or staff reached out, offering to answer questions or connect me with others who shared my interests. Gillings also offers this world-class education at a fraction of the cost of many of the other schools I considered, which I think reflects a commitment to making an education in public health accessible to all those who want to pursue it.

During my time at Gillings, I hope to develop a strong foundation in epidemiological methods and to learn to translate findings from research to practice. I hope to use these skills to pursue a doctoral program in epidemiology and eventually to serve communities effectively and responsibly in a governmental public health role.

Are you ready to choose Gillings? Apply now.