The Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA) is November 2 – 6, in Boston. Early-bird discounts for registration end this Thursday. Below is the experience of one student at last year’s meeting.
Reflections on APHA 2012
by Meghan Ballard, RN
Although I was excited to go to the APHA conference this year in San Francisco, I was not excited to leave the warm weather of New Orleans for the cold, rainy weather of this west coast city. Luckily for attendees, San Francisco welcomed us with warm, sunny weather, a World Series Championship, and a conference that began with a surprise address by former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. She discussed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and how it was constitutionally upheld this year. Without the community of public health professionals that we will soon become part of, this law would not have been possible. Thus, the conference began with a renewed sense of hope and pride at choosing to be in the field of public health.
There were many exciting things to do and see at the conference. The expo had many booths from health-related companies and organizations. After networking there, I decided to attend some sessions that fascinated me most. The most interesting sessions I saw were a talk on Fetal Alcohol Effects Across the Lifespan in Russia, The Slut Narrative that talked about why girls call each other “slut” and “ho,” and a series of talks on decreasing maternal mortality from post partum hemorrhage. When I needed a break from the talks, I decided to view some international films. On my way to the viewing, I passed by protestors carrying signs saying it’s a person’s right to choose to get circumcised. Ironically, the film I saw was titled Circumcision Decision, which showed adult men in Swaziland choosing to get circumcised to decrease their risk of HIV/AIDS. Although the conference only lasted a few days, it was a very exciting, thought-provoking, and educational time. I can’t wait to relive the memories and make more at the APHA conference next year in Boston.
Meghan Ballard is starting her second year of her MPH, with a concentration in MCH.
