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Master of Public Health, Global Health Track
Master of Public Health, Global Health Track
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine — 2024–2026
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine — 2024–2026
Pursuing a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Global Health, I have focused on integrating clinical medicine, leadership, and community-based research to address health disparities and strengthen health systems in low- and middle-income countries.
Top photo from left to right: Dr. Elizabeth Rose, Nikita Rohila, Sarah Thompson, and Dr. Douglas Heimburger at the Vanderbilt Global Health Symposium 2025.
Bottom photo: Sarah Thompson representing Clemson University with the "Tiger Rag" at the Society for Public Health Education Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. in October of 2024. She presented her community advocacy work in local road safety in Clemson, South Carolina.
Academic Focus
Academic Focus
My coursework bridges foundational public health theory with applied global health practice. Through courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, health systems management, and implementation science, I’ve gained analytical and leadership skills to design, evaluate, and improve population health programs.
Thesis Research: Intimate Partner Violence and Maternal-Child Health in Kenya
Thesis Research: Intimate Partner Violence and Maternal-Child Health in Kenya
My thesis examines how lifetime experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) influence maternal health service utilization and child outcomes in Migori County, Kenya.
Using data from the Lwala Household Survey (2018, 2021, 2024), this analysis explores associations between IPV and antenatal care visits, facility delivery, and under-five mortality—providing evidence to inform community-based interventions and policy.
Leadership & Professional Involvement
Leadership & Professional Involvement
Co-Chair, Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health Student Advisory Council (VIGH SAC) - Lead planning for the 2025 Vanderbilt Global Health Symposium and mentorship programs.
Member, Global Health Alliance (GHA) & Public Health Student Association (PHSA) - Contributed to advocacy events and professional development initiatives.
Research Assistant, VA PREVENTABLE Trial – Nashville VA Medical Center
Supported clinical trial coordination and data management for cardiovascular prevention research in older adults.
🌍 Practicum Experience: YWAM Medical Ships – Papua New Guinea (Summer 2025)
🌍 Practicum Experience: YWAM Medical Ships – Papua New Guinea (Summer 2025)
As a Community Health Coordinator and Volunteer Educator aboard the m/v YWAM Liberty in Madang Province, I collaborated with local health workers to deliver mobile clinical care, patient registration, and data collection across remote villages.
Key contributions included:
Supporting the registration and documentation of 1,000+ patients
Delivering health education on waterborne disease prevention and maternal-child health
Developing wound-care and infection-control protocols
Designing leadership training modules for Modilon General Hospital’s nursing staffAuthoring a “Guide to Establishing a Research Department” for hospital leadership
Top photo: Sarah Thompson holding an infant while a provider was seeing the child's mother in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea.
Bottom photo: A bird's-eye view of the m/v YWAM Liberty Medical Ship located in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea.
Top-Left photo: At Modilon General Hospital in Madang, Papua New Guinea, Sarah Thompson taught various classes to the hospital staff including Public Health & Leadership.
Bottom-left photo: In an effort to build relationships between YWAM and Modilon General Hospital, Sarah Thompson wrote a comprehensive guide to Medical Research Methods for the hospital's emerging research department.
Right-sided photo: Sarah Thompson had the opportunity to work as a scribe and registration assistant in various villages in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. In the photo, Sarah Thompson assists the translator and provider with a woman and her child.
🏆 Awards & Recognition
🏆 Awards & Recognition
MAP International Health Fellowship (2025)
LeRoy F. Heimburger Global Health Award Recipient (2025)
ASPPH Student Achievement Feature (2025) for practicum impact in PNG (Student & Alumni Achievements Archives - Page 4 of 170 - Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) )
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