Category: Global Health Students!

Zoe Cameron

Posted on by keyarris@uoregon.edu

My name is Zoe Cameron and I am a senior studying human physiology in the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been lucky enough to serve on the board of the organization Students for Global Health as the public relations and communications chair as well as co-director of events. I am also part of Professor Melissa Graboyes’ research group in global health and one day hope to pursue a master’s in public or global health and a medical degree. 
Students for Global Health fostered a safe, inclusive environment that provided the means to fulfill what I was most passionate about. This is my third year on the board, and I’m incredibly grateful for not only the people whose paths I’ve crossed, but the opportunities the club has presented. Last summer I traveled to Boston, Massachusetts for a Partners in Health conference, and just this past spring, our student group and close faculty organized the Western Regional Global Health Conference.
I firmly believe that health care is a human right and that global health not only encompasses just the medical field, but each and every discipline. Learning about global health has made me realize the importance of understanding that global health impacts every individual and every community. Now more than ever, we must work together in collaboration and strive toward a world where health care is accessible to all, and the health and general well-being of individuals is a priority—not only for those who can afford it, and those who are “lucky” enough, but for everyone.

Dana Emo

Posted on by keyarris@uoregon.edu

My name is Dana Emo and I am a senior here at the University of Oregon. Last summer, I went on the global health and development program in Accra, Ghana. While in Ghana, I took 3 classes and interned at a hospital where I had the opportunity to shadow nurses, doctors, midwives, and a physician assistant. I studied the effects of colonization on Ghanaian healthcare, stigmas surrounding mental health, rural access to health care, and the role sanitation practices play in the spread of diseases.

One of the biggest takeaways from my time in Ghana was being able to observe the differences and similarities between the health care systems in both the United States and Ghana. In combination with observing widespread poverty, the effects of pollution, sewage, and a lack of sanitary bathrooms, it was fascinating to learn about the social determinants which often increased the population’s chances for diseases and health issues.

Learning about and observing the impacts of poverty and limited access to clean and safe resources on people’s health and general well being, has motivated me to keep learning about global public health. Ghana impacted me by making me more passionate about global health and has inspired me to learn about healthcare systems around the world as well as wonder what I can do as an individual to improve health care and public health in my own community.

While the career I hope to get into isn’t directly related to global health, I believe having this experience and being apart of the Students for Global Health club has given me a better comprehensive understanding of the healthcare systems throughout the world, including the strengths and problems that exist within them. From this experience, I plan to continue focusing specifically on rural areas that traditionally have less access to healthcare.

 

 

Tessa Kehoe

Posted on by keyarris@uoregon.edu

Tessa Kehoe is a senior majoring in Human Physiology with minors in Global Health, Economics, and Chemistry. She is the president of the Students for Global Health club and does research in a biology lab on campus. This past summer, Tessa traveled to Quito, Ecuador and completed a seven-week program through CFHI (Child Family Health International) shadowing in hospitals and clinics. The focus of the program was “Reproductive and Sexual Health as a Human Right”. This program allowed her to gather insight into the field of reproductive and women’s health, as well as observe the public health system in Quito. Medicine and public health are two interests Tessa hopes to combine in the future. The program also allowed her to further her competency in Spanish by taking classes and living with a host family.

Grant Klausen

Posted on by keyarris@uoregon.edu

Grant is a junior at U of O majoring in Human Physiology and minoring in Chemistry and Global Health. He is also the Director of Events for the Students for Global Health Club on campus and is involved in a biochem research lab. This summer, Grant went to Accra, Ghana on the Service and Learning GEO Global Health program (read below for an update).

Grant shared some information about his involvement in planning the Western Regional Global Health Conference that will be held at U of O in April:

“This year, our club was selected to host the 15th annual Western Regional Global Health conference here at the University of Oregon. As the director of events, I have been heading on the orchestration of this conference, which has been the best part of my college experience so far. It has proven to be the perfect way for myself and the rest of the Students for Global Health to educate and act within both with the local community, and the greater western United States. Coming in to college I was totally undecided on what I wanted to pursue. After joining the Students for Global Health, and working with many faculty members in the center for global health, I have found what I am most passionate for. The Center for Global Health and the Global Health Minor have been the perfect communities and organizations to allow me to foster my passions, and offer me all of the resources and opportunity I need to succeed.”

On his experience abroad in Ghana: “I was fortunate enough to go on the Accra, Ghana Service Learning and Development global health study abroad program this past summer. I had the opportunity to intern at the West Africa Aids Foundation (WAAF) for six weeks. I was working on a public health project that focused on targeting homosexual individuals and sex workers who were at relatively high risk for contracting HIV/AIDS. My specific job was helping educate community health workers on STIs, HIV transmission, and risk factors that played a role in all of those. Additionally, I accompanied these community health workers on outreach events trying to mobilize these communities to get tested for HIV, as well as receive free contraception products and instructions. This was difficult due to Ghana’s prevalent homophobic culture. Learning how to work in a culturally relativistic manner, as well as helping WAAF to work around some of the barriers they were facing for this project made for a great experience!”