Why did you choose to attend the Yale School of Public Health’s Executive MPH program?
I spent a fair amount of time researching MPH programs and it came down to what best met my needs and desires as a student. I picked the Yale Executive MPH (EMPH) program for three reasons.
First is Yale itself. It is a great educational institution and now that I am here, I really appreciate how the university has welcomed our class and offers students opportunities to be active across campus. For example, I have attended several events outside of the school of public health, including the speaker series, special interest groups, and workshops.
Second is the EMPH program format. While it was not viable for me to attend a full-time program on campus, I did not want to have a fully online format, given it can be very isolating. Having three campus visits during our two-year EMPH program is a great middle ground. These in-person intensives are very worthwhile, as you meet fellow students and professors and also experience the Yale campus. In addition to the foundational general public health curriculum Yale offers, I also like the specialized track format. I am very interested in the Informatics track, given the impact technology and data science have on health care. This area of study is not available in most other MPH programs.
The third reason is the cohort of experienced students. Going through an MPH program with experienced students (10 years or more of work experience) from various backgrounds adds another dimension to the MPH program and ultimately provides a trusted network for the future. Most other programs I looked at had students with more limited work experience.
What is your current occupation?
Currently, I am a partner at Teal Ventures, an investment firm that focuses on health care technology start-ups. Our fund has a target of 50% female-led/founded companies in our portfolio. We also collaborate and co-invest with various large angel groups, including NuFund Ventures, Tech Coast Angels, MEDA Angels, and the Health Innovation Pitch (HIP). I enjoy helping start-ups succeed in applying innovative ways to improve health care.
What are your favorite aspects of the Executive MPH program?
While I have many favorites, my favorite aspect is the collegial group of fellow students. They represent a spectrum of backgrounds and interests and exponentially add to learning and the overall EMPH experience. I think this is a key differentiator from other MPH programs and its impact should not be underestimated.
How do you balance working full-time with the demands of the program?
As one would expect, my entire cohort struggles at some point with the balance, mainly because we all have busy work and family schedules that are often sporadic. But the cohort is very collaborative and supportive, which helps us all stay on track.
How do you hope to apply the training and education you receive through the EMPH program to your future endeavors?
Most of my fellow students will surely use this educational foundation as a stepping stone to more advanced roles. I came to health care only five years ago with limited knowledge and training in the field. My goal was to gain a more comprehensive understanding of health care to be more successful in my current role. I am happy to say with only a third of the program complete, the Yale EMPH experience has been beneficial at work.
Would you recommend the Executive MPH program to others, and why?
Of course, I would recommend it! There are many reasons, as I mentioned in responding to why I chose the program. The one that sticks out as a critical differentiator is the experienced cohort you move through the program with. It provides an additional dimension that builds on the EMPH educational foundation. Since being involved in the program, I realized how additive it can be to gain various perspectives from experienced students.