Several of our MCH students attended the 2021 American Public Health Association (APHA) conference, October 24-27, in-person or online. What follows is a post from one of the attendees.
By Nomin Bayandalai, BS
As the world is slowly moving forward to a new normal, this year’s APHA conference held both in-person and virtually was a breath of fresh air. This year’s conference theme was strengthening social connectedness. As a first-year MPH student, having the opportunity to go to a national public health conference was the perfect way to start my graduate school journey. Meeting and hearing from current leaders in the field reminded me of why I was pursuing a degree in public health.
I was intrigued to learn the work of public health professionals and see what my interests within public health can look like in my future career. In addition, I was inspired to learn about the work of other students. Among the sessions I attended, I enjoyed the session titled Caring for Mothers with Diverse Needs. One of the presenters was Sarah Strom, an undergraduate researcher, presenting on her findings from her study titled, Cancer care is not meant for young adults, a qualitative study of young women navigating a breast cancer diagnosis. The study explored the barriers young breast cancer survivors (YBCS) face when diagnosed with breast cancer. She explained that young women under the age of 30 experience more late-stage diagnosis and mortality because they face more delays in timely diagnosis. Some barriers included unfamiliarity with health systems, resistance from providers, and lack of insurance stability. This presentation really resonated with me because I was inspired to see the research works of fellow students.
In addition to the presentations, I also enjoyed working the Tulane booth at the Public Health Expo, meeting alumni at the Tulane alumni reception, and exploring downtown Denver. Connecting with new people and learning their journey in public health was inspiring as a first-year MPH student. I loved the quote the former president of APHA said in her speech during the opening session: “Grief is a public health crisis. The next pandemic wave is grief. It requires a public health response for the collective good. What is public health, if not in support of the collective good?”
Nomin Bayandalai, BS, is a first year MPH student, concentrating in Maternal and Child Health. She plans to graduate in the Spring of 2023. Her interests include health equity and disparities in maternal and infant mortality. She also loves watching movies, cooking, and traveling.
