By Alice Hiller, BS, MS
The APHA conference was both inspiring and intimidating. It was inspiring to see how many wonderful programs are going on and the level of funding invested in public health research; however, as a first year student I am wondering whether I will ever live up to the bar they set and equally contribute to the field. I think the conference would be more useful when I am working on my dissertation or entering the job market because I will be able to utilize the innovative projects presented or networking connections made.
My favorite session was the Martha May Eliot Forum: Advocating for Our Children: Keeping Them Healthy, Safe, & Happy. This session discussed the gains and continuing challenges in meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) goals for maternal and child health. The session addressed the differences in motivation for investing in pediatric mental health services. Specifically, speakers reminded public health practitioners that children with disabilities and children with terminal illnesses who may not grow up to be productive members of the workforce does not make them any less worthy of economic investment. The speakers argued all children deserve a supportive, healthy childhood as a birthright rather than as an investment with expectation of returns.
Alice Hiller is a first-year PhD student in the Department of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences. Her research interests involve service utilization and occupational performance among vulnerable pediatric populations, including children with special health care needs.
