Several of our first-year MCH students attended the 2022 American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting in Boston, MA from November 6-9. APHA was celebrating its 150 Years of Creating the Healthiest Nation: Leading the Path Toward Equity. What follows is a post from one of the attendees.
By Jacqueline Oschin, BSPH
The APHA 2022 Annual Conference in Boston was my first ever public health conference. I came in with high hopes, and left with these expectations exceeded, feeling invigorated by my experience. With five years of academic experience in public health, I have been searching for more opportunities to experience the professional, real-world side of public health. I was thrilled to learn that as a CEMCH scholar, I would have the opportunity to attend the APHA annual conference.
The main word I think of when I look back at my experience at the APHA conference is “inspiring.” That seems like the best way to describe the energy that the conference gave to me. Meeting like-minded students and professionals, having conversations about important current events, and learning about the work people are doing in the field left me feeling energized to continue my studies and pursuit to be a leader in public health. I felt validated that I am on the right path and reminded of how important the work that I want to be a part of is. I was able to attend sessions on maternal and child health, reproductive health, and incarcerated health. I learned more about some topics I knew about and was also exposed to new concepts and ideas. I was able to meet leaders in these fields and share dialogues about issues that personally and professionally interest me.
Attending the conference with my fellow CEMCH scholars and our associate director and mentor Dr. Shokufeh Ramirez was an amazing bonding opportunity as well. I felt comforted having these people at my first conference with me, knowing that it was also a new experience for my peers and that it was a learning opportunity for all of us. It was exciting experiencing the conference and the city with this group and I felt it really brought us closer. It was also amazing seeing how many Tulanians attended the conference at the alumni event.
Overall, I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and experience. I feel lucky to be a part of such an incredible community, both as a Tulane CEMCH scholar and as a future public health professional.
Jacqueline Oschin, BSPH, is a second-year MPH student, concentrating in Maternal and Child Health. She plans to graduate in December 2023. Her interests include maternal health equity and healthcare for incarcerated populations, and she wishes to combine these passions within her career. She also loves travelling, reading, and doing yoga.
