Healthcare is: Local.

As a lifelong resident of the Boston area, I have a lot of city pride—not just in the sports teams, but also the city’s commitment to innovation and advancement, especially in the field of healthcare.

I am currently a rising senior at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts double majoring in Sociology and Health: Science, Society, and Policy (HSSP). Brandeis, like MGRI, is no stranger to acronyms.

My education has been guided by interdisciplinary learning, hence my two areas of study. Going into college, I was undecided about what I wanted to study, which made me a malleable and adaptable student in my first-year. I found more clarity in my introductory course to Sociology.

For this course we read Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom, a collection of personal stories examining the intersection of identity and societal structures.

In one section, Cottom details her experience with the healthcare system as a pregnant Black woman in America. Cottom candidly explains how her identity as a Black woman precluded her from being deemed competent in the American healthcare system. Doctors and medical professionals disregarded her symptoms and prevented her from receiving adequate care. I was struck by how healthcare, an integral structure of society and livelihood, clearly did not accommodate all people equally.

Reading this collection of essays highlighted how social structures can impact access to healthcare and the delivery of equitable care. Since then, I have been continuously drawn to learning about the social components of health and science to ultimately find ways to improve medical systems in the future.

Next year, I look forward to incorporating an interdisciplinary mindset as an undergraduate fellow at Brandeis’ Lurie Institute of Disability Policy, where I will sharpen my research skills and expand my knowledge regarding disability policy.

Working as a Science Communications Intern for the Mass General Research Institute this summer aligns with my academic and career goals of making science accessible and digestible for all audiences. I am passionate about bringing together the social and the scientific, whether through social media, blogs, or events.

Healthcare is: Global

This past semester, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark with a focus on healthcare. I learned more about the Danish universal healthcare system through hospital visits and talking to general practitioners. I was fascinated by how their system is deeply trust-based and run as a public service accessible to all country residents.

I was most surprised that only 2% of the Danish population has private healthcare and that annual health checkups are not common in Denmark. Understanding another country’s healthcare system was eye-opening and enriching.

The main goal of the course was to compare healthcare systems, so I also traveled with my class to Tallinn, Estonia, and Helsinki, Finland to learn how healthcare is delivered in those countries. One overarching takeaway was that comparing one country’s healthcare system to another is a tall order. Healthcare is an intricate web of social, economic, political and medical components. Each country has many nuances, so to compare I found that it is important to start small and gradually broaden the scope.

Studying abroad was truly an invaluable academic and personal experience that I will cherish for years to come!

Finally…

Healthcare is: One of My Many Passions

Though I could talk about health and social structures for a very long time, I love to put my energy into other interests as well. I have always loved music and singing from a young age. I am currently serving as the President of my college a cappella group. This past December, we even got to open for the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall! I enjoy going to concerts and seeing artists live. Lastly, I can usually be found reading for pleasure and will always take book recommendations.

I look forward to a great summer at MGRI!