Over the past few days, I have been toiling with with exactly what to write my class paper on. I have thrown the usuals into the basket of ideas residing in my head...alternative methods to birth control in the world, implications of genetic research, sex-trafficking in Latin America...and came up with a troubling thought...are my ideas really emerging?
We come to this MPH program as novices, students with wide eyes and empty places in our hearts ready to be filled with solutions to the injustices of the world. And with being so new, comes the fact that every idea, every injustice, every inequity, as news-breaking as it may seem to me, is often times "played-out" and overwritten to the veterans of the public health world. Knowing this, how does a MPH student really know what issues are novel and original in this sea of seemingly new information that arrives as frequently as crashing waves? I believe through patience and understanding professors can lead and encourage us to explore other public health trends rather than the traditional problems that seem attractive and up-to-date to the neophyte.
What is a public health student to do? While I understand it may be fulfilling and satiating to probe issues of injustice and exploitation in the world, I'm realizing the job of a PM565 student is to investigate new progressions in public health. What these progressions are, I hope to learn in this class.
Three years ago...
the view of Mt. Baldy after a wonderful storm...have we seen snow like this in CA since then? Climate change? Oh yes...
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5 comments:
Andrea, I have to disagree with you. I think the saddest thing is that we have these so called public health issues and that never go away. But we can't look the other way because they're old news, precisely because the last generation was unable to solve these problems we have to challange ourselves to come up with unique ideas and new perspectives to engage them with. With your experiences and knowledge I'm sure you could come up with better solutions to most of the problems in Global health than a lot of the people I've encountered in leadership positions.
Andrea,
I've been grappling with some similar thoughts. I want to do so much, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed with thoughts of just how much there is to do. I don't want my enthusiasm to buckle underneath the weight of all the things I want to address and my ability or inability to address them.
You're bright with a lot drive and direction. I'm sure it will all fall into place.
Rosie
Andrea, its great that you are open to learn new areas of global health that you would not have thought of before. Its definitely exciting that we can do this and expand our knowledge. I do agree with Payam though. These issues that sometimes seem "too played out" are real and are still very important since they are still things that affecting our communities. So yes, lets come up with new ideas. Thats the way we grow and learn. Good luck on your paper!
Hi Andrea,
I don't mean to generalize your concerns over your paper too broadly, but your blog reminded me of the phrase: 'there is nothing new under the sun.' I thought to myself: in a sense, that's true... take the 'global' aspect out of it and most of the topics we are considering today were public health issues before we were born.
Then I think to myself: but wait, the context is different. Not just in terms of an ever-changing culture and geography, but in terms of what we - as emerging public health practitioners - bring to the table.
What I'm saying is this: yes, the topics have been discussed and picked apart by specialists, but those specialists have different backgrounds and perspectives than you do. By utilizing your unique professional, cultural, and intellectual context any topic that you make your own will bring novel insights.
Good luck!
David
i agree very much with David!!!
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