VUSM Student Stories
Brian DuVal (MPH ’26) Brings Hemophilia Advocacy to the State Capitol
Jun. 24, 2025—By Kyra Letsinger For many Vanderbilt Master of Public Health students on the health policy track, working directly with politicians to lobby for policy is a dream experience, a stepping stone toward making the changes that inspired them to pursue the field in the first place. For first-year Vanderbilt University School of Medicine MPH student...
Erin Von Klein Honored by American Academy of Pediatrics
Oct. 8, 2024—Current Vanderbilt MPH student Erin Von Klein, M.D., was recently honored by the American Academy of Pediatrics with the 2024 Marshall Klaus Perinatal Research Award in Health Services Research for her project, “Employment Decision-Making Among Caregivers of Low Birthweight Infants.” Erin worked with mentors Gilbert Gonzales, Ph.D., Joseph Zickafoose, M.D., M.S., and Stephen Patrick, M.D.,...
Peek Into the Practica: Hear from Students in Each MPH Track
Sep. 25, 2024—Vanderbilt’s public health practicum requirement provides MPH students the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in their coursework in a practical, hands-on setting specific to their track and career goals. Over the years, Vanderbilt has developed deep and extensive networks with practicum partners across the United States and around the world, giving our students a...
Peek Into an MPH Practicum: A Q&A with a Health Policy Track Student
Sep. 25, 2024—By Kyra Letsinger Since as early as the ninth grade, second-year Master of Public Health (MPH) student Ishan Basu Ray has been working toward a career in health care. While peers spent summers relaxing, Basu Ray researched and shadowed in labs at some of his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana’s most renowned academic institutions, including...
Peek Into an MPH Practicum: A Q&A with an Epidemiology Track Student
Sep. 18, 2024—By Kyra Letsinger From a young age, second-year Master of Public Health (MPH) student Kaylee Ebner had a passion for health and science. It wasn’t until high school, however, that she came to find her dream career path in the most unlikely of places. In her junior year Intro to Healthcare class, she watched the...
Peek Into an MPH Practicum: A Q&A with a Global Health Track Student
Sep. 4, 2024—By Kyra Letsinger Before coming to Vanderbilt, second-year Master of Public Health (MPH) student Joshua Atura received his bachelor’s degree in development education from the University for Development in his hometown of Tamale, Ghana, and his master’s in development studies from the University of Ghana, Legon. While working on his master’s thesis on determinants of...
Second-year MPH Students Use Shared Passion to Make a Global Impact
Oct. 17, 2023—By: Kyra Letsinger When applying to Vanderbilt’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program, prospective students immediately face a pivotal choice: Do they want to follow the Epidemiology, Global Health, or Health Policy track? For those who choose the Global Health track, there is a passion for education, an interest in diverse perspectives, and a belief that all...
Mariam Saad (VUSM MPH ‘24) explores new methods to reduce VUMC’s carbon footprint through silicone recycling pathway
Oct. 3, 2023—Research fellow and MPH candidate Saad combines passions for sustainability and plastic surgery to reconstruct approaches to medical waste. By: David Cohen Since collaborating with Climate Vault in 2021, an award-winning non-profit organization focused on reducing emissions, Vanderbilt University has achieved carbon neutrality decades ahead of its original goal. The university continues to seek opportunities...
Second-year student Joshua Woods earns prestigious David A. Winston Scholarship
Jul. 14, 2023—Second-year Vanderbilt Master of Public Health student Joshua Woods has earned a 2023 David A. Winston Health Policy Scholarship. The program recognizes students’ outstanding early-career contributions to health policy. Awardees demonstrated deep interest in and commitment to health policy in addition to academic achievement. Woods, a first-generation student from Bolivar, Tennessee, came to the Health...