The Yale School of Public Health alumni, over 8,000 strong, form a web of knowledge and action that sustains and changes the world using micro and macro actions. This magazine documents many examples but it could never cover all of them. Today, as YSPH enters its new and independent existence at Yale University, I am writing to remind and thank each of you for what you do for public health every day.
In the early 20th century when many schools of public health were being established, almost all were part of, or in the shadow of, a medical school. The practice of medicine and public health were very closely tied. Many public health solutions, such as vaccines, were medical solutions, others such as clean water and sanitation were not.
As both professions matured it became very clear that public health was a discipline in its own right with strong ties to the social sciences, engineering, analytics, and the like. It was public health that brought attention to cultural differences, first in how individuals responded to treatment recommendations, and later to biologic differences between genders and ethnic populations. Today, medicine and public health are partners for healthy communities, and we even see medicine looking to public health for prevention and treatments that were never considered 25 years ago. Physicians talk about prescriptions for a healthy diet or exercise. They look to environmental scientists for solutions to poor air quality and climate change.
Sadly, there is perhaps no stronger evidence of the need for public health and its communication strategies than the COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians could neither cure nor adequately curb the spread of COVID; many people died, some unnecessarily. The public health interventions, even when applied haphazardly, helped, and bought the world time until vaccines were available. YSPH, its current faculty, staff, and students, as well as you, the alumni, worked ceaselessly to slow the spread and calm fears. We all could have done better; regardless, our efforts were critical.
Thinking like a public health professional, not a clinician, meant that we started with data, considered the community as a whole, and recommended and implemented multiple, population-specific solutions. One size does not fit all in public health. This is why it is so important that both the school and the discipline of public health be independent from medicine. Public health thinks differently; acts differently.
Very few things make me prouder than being a public health professional. My career, and my retirement, have been devoted to using my expertise to help individuals and communities live healthy, productive lives. My individual impact is small, but our collective strength is unparalleled.
And so today I say congratulations to Yale University for recognizing the importance, strength, and knowledge of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health of the Yale School of Medicine and letting us fly. Welcome to the School of Public Health of Yale University!
Thank you,
Kathe Fox, PhD ’81
President, AYAPH