Examples Of Epidemiology

Standing in the grocery store with my grandmother, I did not understand why people were staring at us. When a woman commented on my cuteness and asked if she was my nanny I realized, for the first time, that we did not look the same and because of that, people did not treat us the same. I was seven at the time, only slightly younger than my grandmother was when she left Mexico with her family. While I was not around to witness firsthand the difficulties and struggles my family faced immigrating to America, it was apparent to me, even from a young age, how things outside your control can impact so many aspects of your life. My decision to pursue a career in public health and epidemiology was an easy one; I simply had to look at my own family and their experiences.

I’m passionate about health disparity research and the pursuit of knowledge, but this past year I have come to realize that the biggest changes for communities come from the local or state level and by individuals working with and in the community. As I work toward completing my degree and contemplate my future, I realize I am drawn to the big picture, to the systems level and that applied epidemiology is more in line with my interests and goals than a career in academia. Having focused my energy mainly on academic research, I’m looking for the opportunity to expand the epidemiological methods I have previously implemented, link theory with practice, and explore the applied epidemiology techniques required to work on large-scale studies in a health department setting. I look forward to new, challenging work such as monitoring health status to identify and solve community health problems, diagnosing and investigating outbreaks in the community, and continuing to conduct research and disseminate knowledge. The CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship will provide me the chance to have an impact on