Dear YSPH Community,
I remember learning as a child that “April showers bring May flowers.” And we are certainly facing a rainstorm – a deluge – right now in public health.
At YSPH, we have a collective commitment to advancing the science and practice of public health during this deluge. We’re building a raft or an ark for the field – ensuring that core methods and disciplines continue, while also planning for a more resilient future of health once the waters recede. I am so proud of how we are meeting this moment with honesty, vulnerability, and ingenuity.
The drivers of our ingenuity are highlighted in this issue of the newsletter. You will read about some of the incredible work students in our public health emergency preparedness class are doing on the Texas measles outbreak; hear from the YSPH community about lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic; and most of all, celebrate how our students, alumni, and faculty are doing the work to define forward-looking solutions.
I’m particularly proud of our series of new information sheets and situation reports created by YSPH students, faculty, and staff. This new strategic initiative addresses current health data vacuums with facts and empathy.
A sidenote: please like or follow us on YSPH Instagram, YSPH LinkedIn, YSPH Bluesky, and elsewhere, if you haven’t already – it's the best way to get access to these resources, in real-time.
Thanks for reading. While I can’t predict exactly what the landscape will look like on the other side of this storm, I know that public health will remain foundational to a healthy society, that our YSPH strategic plan will guide us in our next steps, and that the promised May flowers will eventually bloom.
As always, I am grateful to work alongside you, our friends, alumni, and partners, to ensure that the future is healthier than the past.
Warmly,
Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH, FACEP
Dean, Yale School of Public Health
C.-E. A. Winslow Professor of Public Health
Professor of Emergency Medicine