I am a medical doctor in Australia, and after completing my degree was working in a rural hospital in the north of the nation- an area of cyclones, crocodiles, and a critical lack of access to health services. Amidst the chaos of tertiary medical care, it became increasingly apparent that many clinical presentations were downstream manifestations of systemic public health challenges. This recognition prompted an at first unconscious, and then very deliberate, shift in my professional focus toward prevention, systems thinking, and population health. In seeking a more rigorous framework for understanding these upstream determinants, I pursued international training and was fortunate to be admitted to the Interdisciplinary Master’s program at UC Berkeley (2022/23 intake).

After years of scientific method and protocol-driven learning, to focus on lateral thinking, systems analysis, and interdisciplinary discourse was a refreshing challenge. It certainly engaged a side of my brain that needed exercising! The freedom of this Master’s allowed me to gain my hoped-for skills in coding and social theory, as well as exploring health policy and medical care on a global scale. However, after having a few years to reflect on my time at UC, I feel the area I most strongly benefited was not technical but relational.

To come to a different culture with different expectations of healthcare, and to learn not only from doctors but also sociologists, political advisors and academics, allowed me to grow my perspective on a variety of topics. At Berkeley, ideas were openly exchanged with an implicit expectation that they be expressed with clarity, respect, and a willingness to be challenged.  I became more curious in exploring differing viewpoints, and articulating my own. Such skills and open-mindedness have proven directly transferable not only within clinical and academic contexts, but also to my personal life, to my friendships, and now as a mother. 

In my years following UC I was strongly tempted to stay in California, however the call back to clinical work was strong. I missed my patients! I returned to Australia and worked in various rural departments before settling at a small coastal town in the south. I am completing my fellowship with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, training as a Rural Generalist. This uniquely Australian speciality was created to address health accessibility issues within rural areas, with adaptable clinicians who can foster long term patient engagement as well as manage urgent medical presentations in a timely manner in a mix of Family Medicine, Emergency Physician, and Hospitalist. It allows for a relationship with patients across different stages of care, and provides valuable opportunities to connect acute presentations with longer-term preventative strategies.

My clinical practice is now informed by an awareness of systems-level opportunities. I have completed audits and quality improvement projects to assist the health and wellbeing of the community I reside in, including the development of postnatal health advisory resources and establishment of clearer referral pathways to social support services for patients presenting to the emergency department. I find myself a more empathetic and engaged clinician; a better supporter of departmental initiatives; and a more humble team player. The independence encouraged in my medical degree has been nicely tempered with the understanding we are stronger together.

UC Berkeley has a special place in my heart and my career, with lifelong friendships made and nostalgia creeping in very early for a young(ish) person. I look forward to maintaining and building on these connections in the years ahead.

Before matriculating into the MPH program, I was on deployment in Japan, conducting residency interviews between midnight and 3 AM local time, optimistic about life beyond the military and primary care. I had long wanted to deepen the public health foundation I'd built in college and develop practical skills for an increasingly AI-forward world. The UCSF Occupational and Environmental Medicine residency was a natural next step: its partnership with UC Berkeley's Interdisciplinary MPH, and both programs' proximity to Silicon Valley, made it an ideal fit.

As an older student and veteran, I approached re-entering a classroom with some apprehension, particularly one filled with classmates who were, in some cases, a decade younger and entirely civilian. I expected a rough transition. Instead, UC Berkeley surprised me. My professors and peers welcomed me with genuine curiosity about my background, and what emerged was a true exchange: my lived experiences shaped their thinking just as much as theirs expanded mine. The conversations that continued outside the lecture hall enriched my education as much as anything taught inside it.

The coursework was simultaneously challenging and rewarding. Introduction to Biostatistics was the course I initially dreaded the most: I had dim memories of undergraduate statistics, and the added requirement to code in R made it feel even more daunting. The early weeks were humbling. But with support from classmates, my Graduate Student Instructor, and Berkeley's D-Lab, what once felt overwhelming gradually became something I looked forward to. Epidemiology Methods sharpened my ability to critically appraise research; a skill deepened further in Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology with Dr. Ellen Eisen, a course that genuinely changed how I engage with the literature. One of my favorite courses was an elective I wasn't sure what to make of at first. Religion and Spirituality in Public Health turned out to be one of the most thought-provoking courses of the year, reframing how I think about community-based health promotion and the social dimensions of preventive care. Eleven months passed quickly, but the knowledge, friendships, and mentors I came away with have not.

Since completing the program, I've stepped into the Chief Resident role, taking on administrative responsibilities and mentoring incoming residents. I'm also working to apply my biostatistics and data analysis training towards occupational and environmental health research, with the goal of better protecting workers and their families. To anyone considering Berkeley's Interdisciplinary MPH, don't let the age gap or the prospect of learning a new coding language hold you back. You'll be surrounded by people who genuinely want to see you succeed and you just might discover a direction you never anticipated. Go Bears!

If someone had told me a few years ago that I would move from India to UC Berkeley for further studies, I probably would not have believed them. At that time, my world revolved around dentistry, treating patients, managing dental offices, and understanding the challenges patients faced every day. During rural outreach camps and awareness programs, I met many people who delayed treatment because of cost, lack of awareness, or fear. Those experiences made me realize that health is influenced by much more than what happens inside a clinic. The conversations I had with patients and communities gradually sparked my interest in public health and made me want to understand the bigger systems that shape people’s access to care and overall well-being. 

And therefore, with the aim of integrating my clinical practice with border community service, I came to UC Berkeley for my interdisciplinary master’s in public health (IMPH), which felt both exciting and overwhelming. Stepping into a completely new academic environment, learning subjects outside my clinical training, and adapting to life in a new country required resilience and patience, yet Berkeley’s collaborative environment made the transition more natural. The IMPH Program brought together people with diverse experiences and perspectives, fostering discussion of public health challenges and inspiring each other. Our Friday afternoon PB HLTH 292 seminars with Dr. Anke Hemmerling became a space where our close-knit interdisciplinary cohort could slow down a little, reflect, discuss capstone projects, and simply enjoy learning from one another outside the usual classroom structure. Some of my favorite memories are also the informal conversations after class, group study sessions, campus events, and exploring the Bay Area. 

One of the most rewarding aspects of my program was the flexibility to shape my learning around my interests. I was able to explore topics ranging from health management and epidemiology to healthcare analytics. Coming from a non-technical and clinical background, learning statistics and research methods initially felt intimidating. I still remember struggling through concepts that were completely new to me. Over time, with support from classmates, faculty, and hands-on experiences, I became more confident working with data and eventually had the opportunity to serve as a D-Lab Data Science Fellow. That journey reminded me that growth often comes from being willing to feel uncomfortable and keep learning anyway. 

Additionally, some of my most valuable experiences came from the communities and spaces I became part of at Berkeley. Participating in initiatives like Gigs mentorship, where I had the chance to connect with and support prospective students navigating graduate school transitions, reinforced the importance of shared experiences and giving back, was rewarding. Over time, Berkeley instilled something I now carry into every aspect of my work: that the strongest public health solutions emerge from collaboration across disciplines. I witnessed this firsthand when I joined UCSF after completing my MPH. I stepped into the role of institutional research analyst, where I support the CARE project (Collaborative Approach for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Research and Education) to promote health. This has broadened my understanding of culturally responsive research, community engagement, and trust-building in public health practice.

As I look ahead, I hope to continue working at the intersection of oral health, healthcare research, and population health. My long-term goal is to contribute toward strengthening healthcare systems and improving access to dental care for under-resourced communities, both in the United States and globally through collaboration, empathy, and innovation.

For prospective students considering the program, my biggest advice would be to stay open to experiences outside your original field. Some of the most meaningful growth happens when you step into unfamiliar spaces, ask questions, and learn from people whose perspectives are completely different from your own. Berkeley creates an environment where those interactions happen every day. The IPMPH program has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my journey so far, and it reminded me that public health is ultimately about people-their stories, their communities, and the systems we build to support healthier futures for all.

My passion for public health started during an internship in Uganda after my undergraduate studies, where I witnessed firsthand the consequences of unclean water and under-resourced hospitals. Watching children admitted for malnutrition who contracted malaria because facilities lacked basic mosquito control is an experience that has stuck with me. When I learned about the interdisciplinary MPH program at UC Berkeley, I was well into a career in the non-profit sector, but I felt stuck.  I had spent nearly a decade trying without success to break into public health. At the time, I wasn’t seriously considering going back to school, but when I discovered a one-year MPH program designed for professionals, I jumped at the opportunity.

At UC Berkeley I learned to think like a scientist. I came in with specific career goals in mind – I had a deep interest in global health and infectious disease and wanted to gain expertise to lead health programs from design through implementation and evaluation. The flexible nature of the interdisciplinary program allowed me to tailor my courses and dive deeply into specific topics to meet my academic goals. The structure of the courses (and the addition of the interdisciplinary seminar) helped me to connect public health theory with practice, and practical courses like Public Health Program Evaluation and Public Health in Practice gave me skills I’ve drawn on heavily throughout my career.  

Upon graduating I took a position with the California Department of Public Health’s Immunization Branch working on initiatives to improve adult immunization rates in Community Health Centers. Soon after, the pandemic hit and everything shifted. I spent the next two years heavily focused on the COVID-19 response, from roles monitoring California case counts to coordinating various aspects of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, while subsequently leading adult immunization initiatives. For a new MPH graduate, it was an intense and formative introduction to the public health field.

I then moved on to a role with the CDC Foundation where I was embedded in the CDC’s International Infection Control Branch for a three-year global initiative to strengthen infection control programs in six African countries. The project addressed gaps that the COVID pandemic had exposed, particularly in lower- and middle-income countries where health facilities can be amplification points for outbreaks. This was a deeply meaningful role that directly connected to the goals I had set for myself during my MPH program. 

When that project concluded late in 2025, I found myself thrown into a challenging public health job market. I expected my role with the CDC to be a gateway to the career I’ve always wanted in global public health, but the global health landscape in the post-USAID era has fundamentally changed, which has led me to take a turn I didn’t anticipate: a grants management role with an animal welfare organization. In this role I’m reconnecting with my nonprofit roots, lending my skills to my local community, and I am reminded daily that public health opportunities don’t always fit traditional roles. My organization tackles one-health issues by ensuring pets and wildlife in our county are healthy and vaccinated; addresses social welfare through a pet safety net program that supports low-income individuals and their animals; and puts a strong emphasis on the human/animal bond, which has documented and measurable health benefits. 

That feels especially relevant right now. Public health is navigating a difficult moment, with federal funding cuts reshaping domestic and global health programs. However, those of us committed to this field can continue to find ways to contribute even if it doesn’t look the way we expected. My career path is an example of this. It’s non-traditional in many respects, but I’m still finding ways to stay connected and do meaningful work as a public health professional. 

Studying public health was never a question of if, but a matter of when. It was something I considered pursuing before, during, and after medical school, but the timing never felt right. As I navigated my post-residency career options, I came across the Kaiser Permanente-UC Berkeley dual Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) Fellowship and Master of Public Health program. Not only was this one of the very few PHM Fellowship programs in the nation offering an embedded MPH, but it would allow me to remain in the Bay Area and complete the degree without extending my training. I could not have envisioned a more perfect opportunity for me.

The Interdisciplinary Master of Public Health (IPMPH) program offered the intellectual respite that I needed after four years of medical school and four years of clinical training. I was able to explore the field of public health in all its diversity, from cross-disciplinary courses at the law school to nutrition, policy, and environmental health courses. Each class challenged me to think beyond the bedside and consider the broader systems that shape health outcomes. As a pediatrician, I spend much of my time caring for children during acute illness, but the MPH helped me better understand the social, environmental, and structural factors that influence health long before a child arrives at the hospital. These experiences reinforced the importance of looking upstream and gave me a deeper appreciation for the role public health plays in promoting the well-being of children and families.

Beyond that, the IPMPH program gave me the flexibility to focus on my personal life – something that had taken a backseat for years due to the time-intensive nature of medical training. A few weeks into the spring semester, I gave birth to our son. Thanks to the strong academic support I received from program administration, I was able to complete the year with a light online course load and still graduate on time, all while spending precious moments with my baby.

Now that I have graduated, I am eager to apply what I learned from this program to my work. While clinical medicine will remain at the core of my career for the foreseeable future, I hope to utilize the skills gained from this degree to better address the factors that affect children's health beyond their medical diagnoses. Looking ahead, I am particularly excited about opportunities to teach future medical students and residents about public health and the ways that policy, environment, and social conditions shape the lives of their patients. My time in the IPMPH program has strengthened my belief that excellent clinical care and public health are inseparable, and I hope to help future physicians recognize that connection throughout their own training.