Many of our students attended this year’s meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA), held in San Diego, November 10 – 14. What follows is a post from one of these attendees.
By Kiley Mayfield, BSW
APHA was an amazing experience. Not only was it in beautiful San Diego, but I was selected to serve as an APHA MCH Student Fellow. As a fellow, there were a number of MCH related events that I was required to attend. The various activities ranged from networking to collaboration with individuals interested in the MCH field to MCH related sessions. At the final required event, the Martha May Eliot luncheon, I and the other student fellows were recognized among the leaders of the MCH section and given certificates. In that moment, I realized the weight and prestige of the student fellow position.
Aside from the luncheon, the most impactful experience was the Perinatal and Women’s Health Committee meeting. Prior to APHA, the student fellows were required to select an MCH committee to be a part of. There were numerous committees to decide from, but ultimately, I chose the committee that was most aligned with my aspirations and concerns in public health. The committee meeting began with basic introductions – your name, credentials, and experience in MCH – followed by a group discussion of key topics and areas for the committee to tackle in the upcoming year. Introductions were nice because it allowed me to hear about possible professional positions that I could hold in the future. They also highlighted the diversity in the room. During the committee meeting I was able to collaborate with and bounce ideas off of MCH professionals and students about problems within perinatal and women’s health. Another bonus of the committee meeting is I was also able to meet my mentors for the student fellow program. One of my mentors has the exact passion and goals for MCH as me, which was very comforting.
I highly recommend anyone interested in MCH to look at the various committees and get involved. You do not have to be a student fellow to join, it is open to all APHA members with an interest in MCH. The committees provide an opportunity to build connections and collaborate with like-minded individuals.
My APHA experience was exciting and knowledge-filled. The only thing that I would change is my length of stay. I would have stayed the entire conference so that I could experience more non-MCH related APHA activities. The first few days are MCH heavy and I was required to attend quite a few of the events. All in all, I enjoyed my time at APHA and appreciate the connections made.
Kiley Mayfield, BSW, is a second-semester MPH student, concentrating in Maternal and Child Health. She plans to graduate in August 2019. Her interests include Black maternal health in marginalized and oppressed communities, health equity, breastfeeding advocate, postpartum care and community support, and mandated paid parental leave. She also loves singing, poetry, and laser tag.
