Meet Yi-Hsuan Lin
- Study program: Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH)
- Area of interest: Maternal, fetal and perinatal health
- Program entry year: 2023
- Hometown: Taiwan
- Previous diplomas obtained: Baccalaureate in public health, Taipei Medical University
- Funny fact: Despite my deep interest in the field of science, my parents are both artists: my mother is a painter and my father is a photographer. Although they have continued a completely different path from mine, they have incredibly favorable parents.
What aroused your interest in public health?
My interest in public health was initially triggered by my broad interest in the medical field and in -depth by my volunteer experience in college: the promotion of health literacy among children in distant fields and contributing to the reform of local health promotion regulations showed me the power of public health initiatives. This experience made me appreciate the essential role of public health in improving the well-being of people and inspired me to continue it as a career.
Why did you choose Bloomberg School of Public Health?
I chose the Bloomberg school because of its strong accent on the protection of health and the safeguarding of lives, which resonates deeply with my values and my aspirations. In addition, my program offers complete courses on health policies, health promotion strategies, statistical methods and various other subjects which, I believe, are crucial for my professional development. Thesis and placement opportunities in our program provide a practical experience and improve my research capacities, which are essential to equip me with my goal of improving maternal and fetal health.
What led you to join the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health?
In addition to my interest in this field, my work experience in a maternal and child health laboratory in college, where I worked closely with pregnant women in hospitals, which motivated me. Assisting the mental and physical impacts of preeclampsia on pregnant women triggered my passion for studying how illnesses and risk factors affect the mental and physical health of women and to find ways to prevent disease in its early days.
I particularly appreciate the relatively smaller classes, which create an environment where students can establish solid links with teachers and classmates.
What is a PFRH experience that stands out as a favorite or a more memorable?
The teachers of our department are incredibly qualified and are leading experts in their fields. I particularly appreciate the relatively smaller classes, which create an environment where students can establish solid links with teachers and classmates. This promotes a particular atmosphere for learning and the link. In addition, our department organizes outings such as baseball matches, which is super cool. Even if I am not a baseball fan, watch a match and have a pre-match gathering with classmates and teachers is absolutely an incredible experience.
Tell us about your placement in the field.
My placement in the field is with The Miami-Dade Women’s Fund. My responsibilities include improving accessibility and features of the service organization database, supporting advocacy efforts and conducting targeted research on policies affecting women’s well-being. Thanks to these experiences, I develop practical skills in advocacy, policies analysis and database management. I deeply believe that our efforts make significant differences in promoting economic mobility, health and well-being, leadership and freedom of violence.
What would you hope to do or accomplish after graduation?
I am very impressed by the public health environment in the United States, where many small problems such as the poverty of the period are addressed by individuals and dedicated organizations. Although maternal and infantile health does not seem to be the most urgent public health crisis, many voices of the poorly served areas need help but are not heard. After graduating, I hope to continue to contribute to this field, to strive to improve the physical and mental health of people and to restore to society: “Protect health, save lives –Millions both. “”