Public Health Policy&Administration: Study of Local and Global Healthcare Systems
This major includes the integrative study of health care, business, and management. I have focused on the intersection of courses such as biomedical ethics, medical anthropoly, healthcare economics, industrial/organization psychology and management to acquire a specific set of skills and knowledge that will allow me to reach my professional goals. These goals include working within a team to access healthcare needs of communities and then to analyze resources in order to implement improvements in healthcare for those communities. Implementing those improvements may look differently, for instance, I could go into policy, non-profit organization, hospital administration, etc. No matter where I end up, I feel confidently that the classes and opportunities I have had at St. Olaf to create this individual major have prepared me well for my future.
I have special interest in vulnerable communities and the ethics around caregiving. I have taken particular interest in studying America’s current approach to care and ethics, versus other cultural approaches. Lots of books have shed light on healthcare practices of other nations, slow medicine is one that I am especially fond of. Slow medicine is a healthcare plane that takes into account the environment of a patient such as their basic needs, support system, and economic status, and removing any obstacles in the environment that is inhibiting health. Once the environment is stabilized, time is given to the patient to allow the body to naturally heal itself over time.
Although I have some favorable interests in my studies, I am very excited to see where the future takes me in learning about healthcare needs. I am very much hoping to do some global health work abroad, whether it be research or organization work. As of now, I will be moving to Washington D.C. to start a job as a helathcare policy advisor in July. Through the coming months, I will be preparing and applying for graduate school in a public health field.